LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. I 



I *^# y. 



I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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i Cong 




PREFACE. 

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'•■>■ Should a Perfectionist take up this book arrl read iis title- 
-page, it is not improbable he will say in his heart, The author 
^Phad been better employed in an effort to raise the Church from 
its present Laodiceanism to our high standard, than in seeking 
to bring us down to the common level. But wh^ftb^there in 
the title of his book which should subject the author to the 
suspicion of being unfriendly to sanctification, even in its 
greatest extent ? True, it is asserted on the title-page, that 
sinless perfection is attained by none. Does this amount to 
proof that it is the object of his book to hinder Christians from 
growing in grace % If you were to see men contending in a 
race, who thought they had reached the terminating point, 
when you knew that they had much ground yet to pass over, 
would it not be kind in you to apprise them of their mistake ? 
Your doing so could give them no reason to say that you were 
wishing to impede them in their race. Is it any proof that we 
do not wish men to be holy, even to perfection, because we do 
not believe they are so already ? 

But how how do you know, the Perfec tionist may say, that 
I am not perfectly holy ? Do not I know the exercises of my 
1* 



iv PREFACE. 

own heart better than you do 1 I would remind him that 
there is one who knows the exercises of our hearts better than 
we do ourselves. And so much of his knowledge of the hearts 
of my fellow-men, as he has seen fit to reveal, may. become my 
knowledge of their hearts. By a divine revelation I am made 
acquainted with the nature of that heart which is found in 
every unregenerate man. If one of this class of men should 
say, " You cannot discern the exercises of my heart ; what 
right then ha v^ you to declare before the world that I am an 
enemy to my Maker ] I own myself to be an unconverted 
man ; but I am no enemy to my God." My reply to such a 
one would be : The Searcher of all hearts has caused it to be 
noted in the Scripture of truth, that the carnal mind (which is 
the mind of every unrenewed man) is enmity against God. 
It is in no other way than this that we pretend to know what 
is their state of heart, who lay claim to a perfect sanctifica- 
tion. If God has said nothing in his word to invalidate this 
claim, it does not become me to excite any suspicion concern- 
ing their sincerity ; for their hearts are out of my sight. But 
if God has uttered a decision on this point, and caused it to be 
put on record : That none of his children during their sojourn 
upon earth do good without also doing evil — that none of them 
can say that they have made their heart clean, so as to be 
pure from their sin ; then have we a right to say of him who 
claims to be absolutely free from sin, that he deceiveth himself 
and the truth is not in him. 

Perfectionism, if an error, is one which is approached by 
an assailant with peculiar difficulty ; not because the Scrip- 



PREFACE. V 

tures do not furnish us with arguments to expose it ; but be- 
cause it claims for its votaries that they are far ahead of the 
whole Church — not only in the correctness of their creed, but 
in the great purity of their lives. Every attack made upon 
their system will be considered by them as so much opposition 
to pre-eminent holiness. 

I think my conscience bears me witness that in delivering 
these Lectures and in preparing them for the press, my object 
has not been to check the progress of holiness in this world of 
sin. I am none afraid that the salt of the earth will have too 
much savor in it ; or that the light of the world will have too 
much lustre. Often do I feel impelled, according to Paul's 
direction to the Ephesians, to make supplication for all saints : 
and their greater sanctification I feel constrained to make the 
burthen of my prayer. I think I am not displeased with my 
brethren whom I perceive to be in advance of me in godliness 
and usefulness ; but in honor I would prefer them. 

All which God does among the children of Adam to recover 
them from sin to holiness is worthy of eternal praise. Revi- 
vals of religion, effected by the pouring out of his Spirit, are a 
blessing infinite. Wo to that man who speaketh a word against 
the work of the Holy Ghost in the renovation and sanctifica- 
tion of sinful hearts. He has reason to fear that he will never 
have forgiveness. But why should we desire God to pour out 
his Spirit ? Is it merely to rescue sinful men from a state of 
danger 1 Shall we care about nothing except their conversion, 
and feel indifferent about their sanctification 1 The sanctifi- 
cation which is carried on in the hearts of believers by the 



VI PREFACE. 

Spirit of God,- is a desirable and glorious work. It is regen- 
eration protracted; and without such protraction, regeneration 
would itself be valueless. A Church that is made up of con- 
verts, whose religious feelings all die away with the excite- 
ment which brings them within its pale, may appear formidable 
in its numbers ; but is in reality weaker than it was before 
such an accession. Without a progressive sanctification, no 
Church can be lovely or prosperous. 

Why then, it may be said, if you consider sanctification so 
essential to the beauty and strength of the Church, do you not 
fall in with the Perfectionists, who are pleading the cause of a 
finished salvation 1 Just for the same reason, I would say, 
that my desire for the conversion of sinners, does not make 
me fall in with every thing which comes up under the name 
of a revival of religion. A revival may be such a delusive 
thing, as to prove one of the greatest calamities with which 
the Church is visited. The same may be true of a claim to 
extraordinary sanctification. I would be very loth to do any 
thing to obstruct the Church, or any of its branches, from the 
most rapid advancement in holiness. But when any assert 
that they have already reached the mark of perfection, the 
word of God, as I have always understood it, bids us beware 
of them — not for fear we shall have too much religion ; but 
rather for fear that we shall trust in a religion which will 
eventually undermine the cause of truth and holiness. My 
reasons for being afraid of the character of that religion which 
lays a claim to sinlessness, will appear in the subsequent 
work. 



PREFACE. Vll 

The reader will not find these Lectures written in much of 
a polemic style. While writing them I had nothing from the 
pen of my opponents lying before me. The first five Lectures 
were delivered in a consecutive order : but the seven others 
were delivered at different times and on different occasions. 
Though these last are not as entirely restricted to the subject 
of the moral imperfection of Christians, as the others, they 
have more or less of a bearing upon that subject, and are 
adapted, as I hope, to promote the godly edifying of Chris- 
tians : I have therefore thought proper to throw them into the 
same volume. Let me solicit the Christian reader to unite his 
prayers with those of the author, that the little work, which 
he is now about to read, may exert some influence in promo- 
ting the cause of truth and holiness in this age of error and 
declension. 



CONTENTS 



FAGS. 

Lecture I. — The principal arguments against the 
doctrine of the moral imperfection of Christians ex- 
amined and answered, .... 1 

Lecture II. — Various arguments derived from the 
Scriptures to prove that Christians, while on earth, 
never reach a state of sinless perfection, . . 29 

Lecture III. — The subject continued, . » 53 

Lecture IV. — The subject continued, . . 72 

Lecture V. — A recapitulation of the arguments 
which sustain the doctrine of imperfection ; with con- 
cluding remarks, . . . . . 100 

Lecture VI. — The spirituality and extent of the 
Divine law, ...... 120 

Lecture VII. — The subject of the preceding Lecture 
continued, ...... 141 

Lecture VIII. — Paul's eager desire to reach the 
mark of perfection, accompanied with an acknowledg- 
ment that he had not reached it, . . .161 

Lecture IX. — The subject of the preceding Lecture 
continued, . . . . . .174 



X CONTENTS. 

Lecture X. — Holiness of character, both internal 
and external, secured by the new birth, . .192 

Lecture XI. — A claim to sinless perfection, a sign 
of an unregenerate state, . . . .212 

Lecture XII. — The Church having beauties as well 
as deformities, claims that the repulsiveness of the lat- 
ter should not be permitted to conceal the attractions 
of the former* « . - . . 240 



LECTURE I. 

THE PRINCIPAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE DOCTRINE 
OF THE MORAL IMPERFECTION' OF CHRISTIANS EX- 
AMINED AND ANSWERED. 

For what saith the Scripture? — Rom. 4:3. 

This question implies that the Scripture is the ar- 
biter to settle every theological dispute. For the 
Scripture to decide any matter, is the same as for 
God himself to do it ; for " all scripture is given by 
inspiration of God." I have taken this passage for 
my text without any regard to its particular connec- 
tion; for instead of inquiring what the Scripture says 
on the doctrine of justification, which is the subject 
the apostle had under his eye, I propose to inquire 
what it says on the kindred doctrine of sanctification, 
particularly as to the degree in which it is attained 
in the present life. Does the Scripture teach that 
there are any, who in this life attain to such a degree 
of sanctification as to be sinless characters ? Do any 
of the saints, while they remain on earth, arrive at 
such a state, as to do nothing wrong, and speak 
nothing wrong — at such a state, as to have no un- 
holy affections; or, which is the same, as to be influ- 
enced by no selfish motives ? Do they ever so live a 
2 



2 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

single day, that there is nothing either in their exter- 
nal conduct, or in the inward frame of their heart, to 
make new work for repentance ? From what atten- 
tention I have paid to the Bible in relation to this 
subject, I am convinced that no such saints are to be 
found on the earth at the present period ; and that 
none of this character have lived in the former, or 
will live in the future periods of time. 

I am aware that the opposite side of the question 
has its advocates. And at the present day some of 
them are urging forward their peculiar sentiments, as 
though the revival of piety in the church, and the sal- 
vation of immortal souls, depended on their senti- 
ments being received. Among those who view their 
doctrine as erroneous, there may be some who im- 
agine the error to be so harmless as to call for no re- 
buke. To me it has appeared quite otherwise ; for 
though their doctrine would seem as if remarkably 
calculated to advance the cause of holiness, I am 
persuaded that its ultimate influence will be alto- 
gether the reverse. 

There is a sect denominated Perfectionists, who, 
as I believe, profess to be universally and also uni- 
formly free from sin. But they have gone to such 
extremes in carrying out their sentiments, that their 
folly is manifest to all men. There is another class 
of Perfectionists, some of whom are found in different 
denominations of Christians, who profess to have no 
sympathy with the sect alluded to, and yet agree 
with them in believing that sinless perfection is not 
only attainable, but that it is actually attained by 
some in the present life. This latter class are the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 3 

ones on whom my eye will be more particularly fixed 
while I am investigating this subject. But as I con- 
sider both classes to occupy so much common ground 
as to make use of many of the same arguments to 
support their respective systems of perfectionism, 
and to oppose the doctrine of Christian imperfection, 
they will both claim a degree of my attention. 

Before I proceed to those scriptural arguments 
which, in my view, serve to prove that none of the 
saints attain to sinless perfection in the present life, I 
shall notice a few of the most prominent arguments 
which are made use of on the other side of the ques- 
tion. 

First. It is said, that nothing short of sinless per- 
fection comes up to the divine requirements. I am 
not disposed to dispute this extent of the divine re- 
quirements. When God says, " Be ye holy, for I 
am holy," I believe that true holiness, and a perfec- 
tion of it, is required. So when the Savior says, 
" Be ye therefore perfect as your Father in heaven 
is perfect." I believe that all God's other commands, 
as well as those which explicitly enjoin perfection, 
are to be understood as going to the same extent. 
His command requiring us to repent, lays us under 
obligation not only to exercise some degree of contri- 
tion for sin, but to be perfectly contrite. So his com- 
mand, that we should believe on his Son. requires 
that our heart should be full of faith, without any 
mixture of unbelief. As the Moral Governor of the 
universe, God can enact no laws which do not re- 
quire his creatures to be perfect. His laws must re- 
quire as perfect holiness of one creature as of another ; 



4 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

as perfect holiness of men as of angels ; as perfect 
holiness of saints on earth as of saints in heaven : 
and I may add, as perfect holiness of sinners as of 
saints. 

Bat this argument, if it prove any thing, proves 
too much for that class of Perfectionists with whom 
we are more particularly contending : for if we have 
a right to infer that some saints have arrived, or will 
arrive at a state of perfection, from the fact, that God 
requires this much of them, why have we not a right 
to infer the same concerning their whole number, 
from the fact, that the requirement extends to them 
all % I do not see how we can prove that the chil- 
dren of God will, at some period subsequent to their 
conversion, arrive at a state of sinless perfection, from 
the circumstance, that such perfection is required of 
them ; any more than we can prove (according to the 
doctrine of the other sect of Perfectionists) that they 
all become sinless characters as soon as they are born 
into the kingdom ; for surely the divine requirement 
reaches as far back as this. I am not able to see 
how the mere extent of God's requirements can fur- 
nish an argument in favor of the perfection of some 
saints, without furnishing an equally cogent argument 
in favor of the perfection of all saints; and indeed in 
favor of the perfection of all his accountable crea- 
tures, not excepting those who are in the dark world 
of hell. 

It will be said, that if sinless perfection were not 
attainable, God would not require it. I grant that 
God does not make his requirements exceed our na- 
tural ability. He does not require the use of any 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 5 

bodily sense or member, which he has not given us. 
Nor does he require us to perform any such act by 
these members, as shall transcend their capability. 
It is also true, that God requires of us no mental act 
which shall transcend the power of the mental facul- 
ties. To love the Lord our God with all the heart 
and understanding, and strength, is the whole of God's 
requirement. But he requires creatures possessing 
an unholy character to become holy, as much as he 
requires holy creatures to retain their character. God 
does not consider a rebellious heart as affording any 
sufficient reason for our refusing to be reconciled to 
him. Nor does he consider any remaining disaffec- 
tion in the hearts of his children, as constituting a 
good reason why their reconciliation should not im- 
mediately become perfect. 

There is a sense wherein a thing may be attain- 
able, which is not now, and perhaps never will be 
attained. An interest in the Savior is attainable by 
all who are within the sound of the gospel. If it 
were not so, they would not be required to come to 
him for life. But though an interest in Christ is 
attainable by all, it is actually attained by compara- 
tively a small number : and these would never have 
attained it, had it not been for the gracious drawing 
of the Father. If the command of God is proof that 
the thing commanded is attainable, and if the attain- 
ableness of the thing is proof that some will certainly 
attainit, we might prove that some sinners would re- 
pent of course, because God commands all men every 
where to repent. But as sinners never employ their 

2* 



6 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

faculties for the exercise of repentance, until they are 
brought to it by he grace of God, so it is with 
saints ; they never rise any higher in their holy affec- 
tions than they are raised by the same grace which 
quickened them when they were dead in trespasses 
and sins. 

Secondly. It is said, God has not only required 
perfection, but has signified his purpose to effect it : 
" This is the will of God, even your perfection.' 5 
1 Thess. 4 : 3. This expression, " the will of God,' 5 
is more commonly used to denote what God requires 
or delights in, rather than what he designs to accom- 
plish. In this sense, some things are said to be in 
accordance with the will of God which never take 
place, and other things take place, which are repug- 
nant to his will. It is asserted that God will have all 
men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of 
the truth : and yet all men are not saved. It is cer- 
tain that God afflicts us. Yet there is a sense in 
which he does not will to do it; "for he doth not 
afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." 
1 Tim. 2: 4. Lam. 3: 33. So fir as the obligation 
of man, or God's complacence in man's character 
are concerned, it is in. accordance with the will of 
God that all men should be saved and come to the 
knowledge of the truth. And in this twofold sense? 
namely, in relation to human obligation and divine 
complacence, it is the will of God that the saints 
should be sinlessly perfect, without the least delay ; 
not a few of them alone, but their whole number. 
Yet this furnishes no proof that they will all ? or even 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 7 

any of them, forthwith come to such a sinless state. 
Nor does it furnish proof that they will come to it in 
some later period of their pilgrimage. 

If the phrase, " the will of God," as it is used in 
the passage under consideration, means his purpose, 
it proves that the sanctification of believers is an 
event which may be expected with great certainty. 
Whatever this declaration of the apostle proved in 
relation to the w^ork of sanctification among the saints 
of that church, which he was then addressing, it 
proves in relation to the saints of every other church. 
But it will not be adduced as proof of the perfect 
sanctification of all the saints, either in that or any 
other church, ancient or modern ; how 7 then does it 
amount to proof of this high degree of sanctification 
in relation to any of them ? It is doubtless in accord- 
ance with the purposing, as w r ell as the preceptive 
w r ill of God, that all such as are born of his Spirit, 
shall hereafter attain to perfect holiness. His pre- 
ceptive will enjoins its attainment even now T ; but he 
may have wise reasons for bringing them along by 
degrees to that entire subjection to his will, which is 
their present duty. His command to the children of 
Israel was, to exterminate the wicked inhabitants of 
Canaan at once. It was their duty so to have done- 
And yet we learn that God had wise reasons for de- 
termining that some of these wicked Canaanites 
should be left in the land. Ex. 23 : 29, 30. Judg. 3:1. 
Let proof be exhibited that it is the will of God, in 
the sense of a purpose of his heart, to finish the work 
of sanctifying his people, or any portion of their num.- 



LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ber, while they continue to be dwellers on the 
earth, and I shall rest satisfied that it will be done : 
for with God nothing is impossible ; and he worketh 
all things after the counsel of his own will. But if 
there is no passage of his word which discloses such 
a purpose, (and if there be such a passage I know 
not where it is,) who shall dare to assert that such a 
case ever has, or ever will occur while the world 
standeth 1 

Thirdly. It is thought by some that the actual at- 
tainment of sinless perfection may be safely inferred 
from the circumstance, that some of the approved 
prayers of the Scriptures are fraught with petitions 
for such perfection. 2 Cor. 13: 7. 1 Thess. 5: 23. 
This argument is more specious than solid. Devout 
men are wont to express in prayer ail the holy desires 
which arise in their hearts. They are in the habit 
of praying for those blessings which are distant, as 
well as those which are near at hand. Through all 
their life they are praying to be sustained in a dying 
hour, and afterward received up to glory. The saints 
who lived two or three thousand years ago, as well 
as ourselves, prayed for the hastening on of that pros- 
perous period of the church which is now denomi- 
nated the Millennium. But neither their prayers nor 
ours have as yet been answered by the bursting forth 
of millennial glory. Ps. 72 : 19. Isa. 62 : 6, 7. But 
these prayers will all be answered, and that in the 
best time: for it is written, "I the Lord will hasten 
it in his time." Isa. 60 : 22. 

The prayers which Christians make for their own 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 9 

and others' entire sanctirlcation, are answered, in 
part, by a sanctirlcation which progresses through 
life, though it never becomes entire until its close; 
and at the close of life they are answered in full by 
a sanctirlcation which has no defect. As they open 
their mouth wider and wider, their supplies of grace 
become more abundant ; and all the desires which 
they now pour out before God for a more perfect 
sanctirlcation, will help to procure for them the eter- 
nal and unchangeable perfection of the world of 
glory. 

But here it will be said, Can we ask of God the 
immediate enjoyment of any blessing, unless we be- 
lieve that he can, with consistency, immediately be- 
stow it ? To this I answer : The Son of God asked 
his Father to remove the cup of trembling, when he 
knew that it was a divine appointment that he should 
drink it to the very bottom. Yet in this solemn crisis 
it was a relief to his holy soul, to pour out his sor- 
rows into his Father's bosom in the way of prayer. 
But with the same breath that he prayed for the re- 
moval of the cup, he submitted to drink it. Paul not 
only desired, but prayed for the salvation of the na- 
tion of Israel : " My heart's desire and prayer to God 
for Israel is, that they might be saved." If it was 
their duty to believe and be saved, it was his duty to 
desire they might believe and be saved. If it was 
proper for him to cherish such a desire in his heart, 
was it not proper that he should express that desire 
to God ? And how should he do it, except in prayer 1 
It is the manner of God's children to pour out their 
heart before him. They love to express to him all 



10 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

their hunger and thirst after righteousness ; all their 
desires for a perfect conformity to his image, and for 
an uninterrupted enjoyment of the light of his coun- 
tenance ; even though it may not be consistent for 
him immediately to gratify these desires to the full. 
As the apostle prayed for all his nation that they 
might become the disciples of Christ, though he had 
no reason, either from the promises or providences of 
God, to believe they would all be converted, so he 
prayed for those who had been converted, that they 
might become perfect Christians, though he had no 
reason to expect they would attain to this, until the 
time should come for them to be received to the world 
of perfection. 

To the Corinthians Paul says, This also we wish, 
even your perfection : and in harmony with this he 
says, u Now I pray God that ye do no evil." It is, in 
my opinion, as consistent to pray for perfection, as to 
wish for it: and this is as consistent as that God 
should require it. And of the consistency of his re- 
quirement there can be no doubt. But as God's re- 
quiring us to be perfect amounts to no proof of our 
perfection, so neither does our wishing and praying 
for it, prove that we have already attained to such a 
state, or that we shall attain to it while we tabernacle 
in the flesh. 

Some may say, If you do not expect the blessing 
which you ask of God, your prayer is sin ; since the 
Scripture has declared that "whatsoever is not of 
faith is sin." Rom. 14: 23. In answer to this objec- 
tion I need merely to say, that the scripture referred 
to will be seen, when examined in the light of its con- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 11 

text, to have no application to such a subject as that 
which is now before us. 

Fourthly. In support of the doctrine of sinless 
perfection it is said, that the Scriptures speak of it 
as a thing which has an actual existence. It is 
urged, that the saints are often spoken of as perfect 
men ; that some of them are described as seeking 
the Lord with their whole heart, and others as follow- 
ing him wholly, and others as living a, blameless life. 

Now I will grant, in case it can be shown from the 
Scriptures, that any mere man since the fall has in 
this life perfectly kept the commandments of God, so 
as not to break them in thought, word, or deed, the 
truth of the doctrine of sinless perfection is estab- 
lished. For if there is an individual believer who 
has come up to this degree of sanctification, another 
may attain to it, and another, until every believer on 
earth has become a sinless character. But I have 
carefully looked at the texts which are depended on 
for proof of the actual existence of sinless characters 
in our apostate world, and I am convinced that when 
they are examined in connection with their several 
contexts, as well as in connection with the whole in- 
spired volume, it will be seen that they constitute no 
substantial proof of the existence of such perfection. 
Noah and Job are declared to be perfect men, and 
yet the Scripture records the faults of both of them. 
The perfect man, in Scripture language, is commonly, 
if not invariably, the contrast of the wicked man, the 
graceless sinner; not of the imperfect saint. So it is 
in the following passages : " Behold God will not 
cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil 



12 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

doers." " This is one thing, therefore I said it, he 
destroyeth the 'perfect and the wicked." " Mark the 
perfect man, — for the end of that man is peace : but 
the transgressors shall be destroyed together, the end 
of the toicked shall be cut off." " The righteousness 
of the perfect shall direct his way ; but the wicked 
shall fall by his own wickedness." Job 8 : 20, and 
9 : 22. Ps. 37 : 37, 38. Prov. 11 : 5. 

To want a perfect heart, according to Scripture 
dialect, is the same as to want a good heart. It 
implies an entire destitution of grace. When it is 
testified concerning Amaziah, one of the kings of 
Judah, that " he did that which was right in the sight 
of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart," it evi- 
dently means that his right external actions were not 
done with a right heart. What is alleged against 
him could not be, that he fell short of sinless perfec- 
tion ; since as much as this was true of all his prede- 
cessors on the throne, not excepting the most pious 
of them. 

As soon as the transforming work of the Holy 
Spirit has passed upon the mind of a sinner, he is 
honored by being called a perfect man. In the 
second chapter of Paul's first epistle to the Corinth- 
ians, he calls all such perfect as were spiritual, in 
distinction from natural men : " Howbeit, we speak 
wisdom among them that are perfect." This was 
as much as to say, The Gospel we preach, which is 
foolishness to natural men, is the height of wisdom 
to them that have a renovated mind, and, of course, 
a spiritual discernment. In more passages than one 
the epithet perfect is so connected with that of up- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 13 

right, as to render it certain that every upright man 
is denominated perfect. Ps. 37 : 37. Prov. 2 : 21. 

Now if the Scriptures have honored the whole 
company of the regenerate by calling them perfect, 
when it is acknowledged that only a small part of 
them have attained to a sinless purity, T think it must 
be evident that something is possessed in common by 
them all which entitles them to this honor. If this 
honor is conferred on the children of God of every 
moral stature, it can certainly amount to no proof 
that Noah, or Job, or Paul, or any other saint, of 
w T hom the Scriptures make mention, was free from 
all sin, merely because in these sacred writings he is 
denominated perfect. 

Should any inquire why the term perfect is applied to 
men whose sanctiflcation is still imperfect, they ought 
to know T there must be some good reason for it ; else 
the Holy Ghost would never have moved the penmen 
of the Scriptures to make such a use of the term. Our 
attainments in divine knowledge are scanty, yet I think 
we can discover good reasons for their using this 
term to distinguish the subjects of grace from other 
men. 1. The word perfect serves to describe the ex- 
cellency of their renovated nature. The righteous 
is more excellent than his neighbor. The saints are 
the excellent of the earth. They are said to be par- 
takers of the divine nature. There is nothing in the 
universe more excellent than this divine nature, which 
God communicates to his children. It is this which 
renders it suitable that Zion should be called the per- 
fection of beauty, even while much of her deformity 
still remains. 2. There is a propriety in denomi- 
3 



14 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

nating the subjects of grace perfect, because all the 
parts of a finished character are found in them, and 
because there is a pleasing symmetry between the 
parts. An infant, which has all the parts of a man, 
is denominated perfect as soon as it is born, as soon 
as it is perceived to be a proper child. Even the 
young Christian has repentance and faith and every 
grace of the Spirit ; also he has respect unto all 
God's commandments. 3. Perfection, in the most un- 
limited sense, may be prospectively applied to all such 
as have had the image of God restored to their hearts \ 
for the commencement of this good work secures 
its completion. Paul, in pressing to the mark of per- 
fection, was seeking 'nothing more than to apprehend 
that for which he was apprehended of Christ Jesus. 
Phil. 3 : 12. This seems to be one reason why it is 
proper, even from the commencement of the religious 
course of a Christian, to speak of him as a perfect 
man. 

But while the men of grace are still in their pil- 
grimage, though the Scriptures denominate them per- 
fect, they nevertheless give clear intimations that 
their perfection is counteracted by something of a 
contrary nature, and that it differs widely from that 
perfection to which they will be brought at the close 
of their probation. You all remember that while the 
Lord declared his servant Job to be a perfect man, he 
himself disclaimed all pretension to perfection, that 
is, to any such perfection as should exclude blame. 
Paul had prepared his Philippian brethren to under- 
stand him to make no claim to a sinless perfection, 
when he said to them, " Let us therefore, as many 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 15 

as be perfect, be thus minded ;" for he had just be- 
fore made this avowal in relation to himself; " Not 
as though I had already attained, either were already 
perfect." See Job 1 : 8 and 9 : 20. Phil. 3 : 12, 15. 

In accordance with what I have shown to be the 
use of the word perfect, I would now remark, that it 
is true in relation to all the distinctive names, by 
which the Scriptures separate the precious from the 
vile, that they are names of perfection. There is no 
mixed name used to distinguish the children of God 
from the children of the wicked one. They are called 
saints, or holy ones, the others are called sinners ; they 
are called righteous, the others wicked; they are called 
godly, and the others ungodhj ; and so on. These 
names describe nothing but their renovated part, or 
that excellency of character which makes them differ 
from other men. They give us no intimation that 
there is any defect in them. Yet it is conceded by 
our opponents, that some defect is attributable to the 
greater part of those whom the Scriptures have de- 
nominated saints, righteous, godly, and the like. 

But while the Scriptures honor the children of the 
kingdom by giving them new names, and such as ex- 
press no taint of corruption, let it be remembered that 
they sometimes apply to them their old names, to re- 
mind them that their native depravity is not wholly 
removed. Peter confesses, " I am a sinful man, O 
Lord ;" the publican cries, " God be merciful to me a 
sinner ;" Paul cries out, " The law is spiritual, but I 
am carnal." 

As the Scriptures make use of names which are 
expressive of nothing but goodness, to designate 



16 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

men who are confessedly imperfect in goodness, so 
they often describe their actions by words which im- 
ply no mixture of sin. They describe them as seek- 
ing the Lord and turning to him with the whole heart 
and with all the heart when it is manifest that their 
object in using this emphathic language, is not to 
contrast these actions with those of imperfect saints, 
but with those of graceless sinners. As in this pas- 
sage : " And yet for all this, her treacherous sister 
Judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart. 
but feignedly, saith the Lord." Jer. 3: 10. See also 
1 Kin. 14: 8 compared with 2 Kin. 10 : 31. 2 Chron. 
22: 9. Jer. 24: 7. 

You all remember what a marked difference 
Moses makes in the description he gives of the ten 
men whom he sent to spy out the land of Canaan. 
In his narrative, Caleb and Joshua are distinguished 
from the other ten, by its being said of them, that they 
wholly followed the Lord. Does this mean that the 
other ten followed him in part ? No. The contrast 
between the two and the ten, is not a contrast between 
strong and weak faith, but between faith and unbelief, 
between piety and impiety, holiness and sin. 

We know it is said of Zacharias and Elisabeth that 
they walked in all the commandments and ordinances 
of the Lord blameless. But this amounts to no proof 
that they were immaculate. If it did, we could prove 
that all the subjects of grace were so : for without 
distinction they are described as keeping God's testi- 
monies — as seeking him with the whole heart, and as 
doing no iniquity. Ps. 119: 2, 3. John, in his first 
epistle, makes a strong assertion, which he applies to 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS, 17 

every regenerated soul. " Whosoever is born of 
God doth not commit sin." From this passage we 
are led to conclude that there is a sense in which 
every true convert, though imperfectly sanctified, 
does not commit sin. His heart is renewed and his 
life is reformed. While in his heart there is a great 
conflict between holiness and sin, his external con- 
duct may be very uniformly on the side of holiness. 
Paul taught the Galatian Christians that they had 
within them two natures, flesh and spirit, conflicting 
with each other: but he gave them reason to hope, 
that they might so walk in the Spirit as to prevent 
them from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. Christians 
do. in a good degree, live a blameless life while they 
are conscious of much blameworthiness in His sight 
who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins. They 
feel ashamed of that pride which rises in their heart, 
even when it does not show itself in any proud action 
or expression. They may have a spirit of revenge 
arise in their heart, and for this they feel guilty be- 
fore God, though they may not discontinue their kind 
treatment of their enemies. They do not by any 
means feel innocent in possessing a prayerless spirit, 
even when it does not cause them to intermit the 
duties of the closet, of the family or the prayer meet- 
ing. If Christians had no control over the lustings of 
the flesh against the spirit, to prevent their being de- 
veloped in external actions, their influence in promot- 
ing the cause of holiness would be greatly diminished. 
Paul's declaration concerning himself (Gal. 2 : 20) 
has been thought by some to amount to a claim to 
an entire sanctifi cation : " I am crucified with Christ: 
3* 



lb LECTURES 0.N THE MORAL 

nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in 
me," &c. But, 1 ask, has not every regenerated sin- 
ner undergone a crucifixion of the old man ? By 
means of this crucifixion has not a new life sprung 
up in his soul ? And is not this new life in every 
other Christian, as it was in Paul, sustained by 
Christ's living in him by a gracious influence, and by 
his living on Christ by virtue of a holy faith '? 

Fifthly. While those who advocate the doctrine 
of sinless perfection, concede that such perfection 
was not attained under the Old Testament, they 
assert that its attainment is foretold and promised 
under the New. Such a prediction or promise they 
think they discover in the thirty-first chapter of Jere- 
miah, which is quoted in the eighth of Hebrews. It 
is true that in this prophecy God promises to make a 
new covenant with his people — not according to the 
covenant he made with their fathers when he brought 
them out of the land of Egypt; which covenant 
they brake, though he, on his part, was an husband 
to them. But he promises, at the time which is here 
predicted, to write his law in their hearts, and to be 
a God to them, and cause them to be his people ; so 
that all shall know him from the least unto the 
greatest. 

This promise, as it stands in the prophet, and as it 
is applied by the apostle, seems intended to teach, (1.) 
That under the Gospel there would be a new dispen- 
sation of the covenant of grace, in which the cere- 
monies of the Old Testament should be laid aside, 
without effecting any essential change in its gracious 
character. It was only in relation to its types that it 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 19 

decayed, waxed old, and finally vanished away. Heb. 
8: 13. (2.) It was also intended to teach, that under 
the new dispensation, especially in the time of the lat- 
ter day of glory, there would be such a great increase 
of piety, that Israelites in name would more univer- 
sally be Israelites indeed. But I discover nothing in 
the passage, as it stands in the Old Testament, or as it 
is applied in the New, which authorizes us to infer 
that between the two dispensations there exists that 
difference which is made by imperfect and perfect 
sanctification. It is clear, these passages authorize 
us to expect, that under the New Testament there 
would be an augmentation of the number of true 
believers, and also of the degree of their piety. But 
what is there in. these, or any other passages in the 
Bible, to assure us that the saints of the New Testa- 
ment, in distinction from those of the Old, shall arrive 
at a state of immaculate perfection? Is it this, that 
God promises to write his law in their hearts ? And 
did he not do as much as this for the saints of the 
Old Testament? Or is it because he promises that 
he will be their God, and that they shall be his 
people ? Is the perpetuity of grace peculiar to be- 
lievers under the new dispensation ? Has it not 
been true, ever since the kingdom of grace was set 
up in this fallen world, that in every heart, where 
God has pleased to write his law, he has nev^er suf- 
fered it to be obliterated ? It is in relation to the 
believer under the Old Testament, (though it is 
strictly true in relation to the believer of every other 
period.) that it was said, ' ; The law of his God is in 
his heart ; none of his steps shall slide." Ps. 37 : 31. 



20 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

I see nothing in any part of the sacred volume 
which leads to the conclusion, that the New Testa- 
ment church, either in its beginning or progress, 
would present a sinless community. The church of 
God, from the time of its being first set up in the 
world, has been on the advance, though it has had 
its seasons of retrogression. Like the mustard seed, 
it has been growing up into a tree : and like the 
rising light, it has shown brighter and brighter ; 
which it will continue to do until the perfect day. 
There was doubtless more light after than before the 
flood. The light was much increased by the calling 
of Abraham, and by the establishment of the church 
in his family. It was still further increased by the 
exodus of the Israelites from the house of bondage, 
their sojourn in the wilderness, and their settlement 
in the land of promise. Even the Babylonian cap- 
tivity did in some respects improve the character of 
the church, as it effectually broke them off from the 
worship of idol gods. A great increase of light was 
caused by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness. 
After the Redeemer's ascension to heaven, the im- 
provement of the church was for a while very rapid. 
There was not only an increasing number of disciples, 
but the disciples received a more copious baptism of 
the Holy Ghost. Great grace was upon. them all. 
After the lapse of some centuries, there commenced a 
long night of darkness that could be felt. This dark- 
ness began to be dispelled by the reformation of the 
sixteenth century. In the Millennium, the righteous- 
ness of the church will go forth as brightness, and 
the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. There 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 21 

will be a great increase in the degree of grace, as 
well as in the number of its subjects. The weakest 
believers then, will equal the most eminent believers 
of the present period. But there may be all this in- 
crease of holiness from one period to another, and 
yet the most favoured period come short of perfect 
holiness. As all the periods, which precede the Mil- 
lennium, are very deficient in sanctification in com- 
parison to the Millennium itself, so that period will be 
very deficient in comparison to the holiness of the 
heavenly state. 

Sixthly. In support of the doctrine of a present 
entire sanctification, it is urged, that provision has 
been made for such a blessing : that the death of 
Christ furnishes as ample provision for a perfect 
sanctification as for a perfect justification. To this 
it may be replied, 

1st. That the death of Christ has made provision 
for the bestowment of some blessings, which will 
never be actually bestowed. The atonement, made 
by the death of Christ, is an infinite provision. The 
law of God is so greatly honored, and the sin of 
man so openly and pointedly condemned, that it pro- 
vides a way of salvation for all the guilty children of 
Adam, even for those who perish in their sins. 
We are informed that in the Christian church there 
would arise false teachers, who would deny the Lord 
that bought them, and thus bring on themselves swift 
destruction ; implying, that some who are bought 
with the blood of Christ, will nevertheless fail to be 
cleansed with his blood, and will therefore go down 
to destruction. Though punitive justice has been so 



ZZ LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

highly honored by the sufferings of our Divine Sub- 
stitute, that it presents no obstacle to the conversion 
and forgiveness of any sinner, or number of sinners ; 
yet God, whose wisdom is infinite, does not see fit to 
exert his power to subdue the heart of every sinner, 
and thus bring him to accept of the atonement. A 
perfect sanctification can therefore be no more in- 
ferred from the infinitude of the atonement, than the 
sanctification of the whole race can be inferred from 
the same premises : and such a universal sanctifica- 
tion, I conclude, is no part of the creed of our op- 
ponents. 

2d. As to the favors which God designs not only 
to proffer, but actually to bestow on the children of 
men through the atonement of Christ, his wisdom de- 
termines the time and order of their bestowment. 
The infinitude of the provision which he has made, 
does not prevent the exercise of his wisdom in the be- 
stowment of his favors. . " Wherein," saith the apostle, 
" he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and pru- 
dence" The atonement lays a foundation for God to 
put his rebellious creatures into a state of merciful 
probation. They are thereby brought into a solvable 
state, before they are in a state of salvation. It is 
through the death of Christ that we enjoy the inspired 
word, together with its ministry. Through the same 
medium the Spirit comes down to awake us from our 
slumbers, and impart conviction to our consciences. 
These favors are all conferred before the heart is at all 
brought back from a state of rebellion ; that is, before 
it experiences the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Now 
would it be good reasoning, to say, that since the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 23 

death of Christ has made as complete provision for 
the regeneration of the elect as for their conviction, 
or even their enjoyment of a probation of mercy, 
therefore their regeneration must have taken place as 
early as their conviction, or even as early as the com- 
mencement of their new probation ? And is it any 
more logical to say, that since the death of Christ has 
made provision for the entire sanctification of believ- 
ers, therefore their entire sanctiflcation must extend 
back to the very hour of their conversion ? Nobody 
dreams of charging it to any defect in the atonement, 
that men are not renewed even before they are awak- 
ened and convicted. Nor is it owing to any want of 
fulness in the atonement, that regeneration and per- 
fect sanctification do not take place simultaneously. 
In the whole work of man's salvation there is a wise 
arrangement. God always puts every thing in its 
proper place. It is wisely ordered that the convic- 
tion of the conscience should precede the renewing of 
the mind. And who can say that it is not ordered 
with equal wisdom, that the renovation of the mind 
shall precede its complete sanctification? Now if it 
may precede it by any distance of time, who can say 
that the distance may not be as great as that which 
intervenes between the day of espousals, and the day 
of death? 

3d. The ampleness of the provision, which the death 
of Christ has made for a complete justification and 
sanctification^ constitutes no valid argument to prove 
that both of them become complete at the same time. 
There is a sense in which neither of them becomes 
complete until the close of our probation. Such is 



24 LECTUKES ON THE MORAL 

the structure of the covenant of grace, that the heirs 
of promise who are once forgiven, will never again 
come into condemnation, so as to rank with the chil- 
dren of wrath : nor will they, after having the work 
of sanctification commenced in their hearts, ever 
rank again with the unregenerate world. With the 
children of wrath they will never rank again, be- 
cause the first act of forgiveness, which proceeds from 
the divine throne, stands connected with a promise of 
grace, either to preserve them from backsliding, or to 
heal their backslidings ; also, with a promise that, on 
every new return to God with penitential sorrow, he 
w r ill return to them with pardoning mercy. So that 
God's first act of pardon towards the penitent, secures 
all the subsequent acts which their case shall require, 
until all. their iniquities are so forgiven as to be re- 
membered no more. And as in justification, the first 
act of pardoning mercy, secures all the subsequent 
acts which the case shall require ; so in the sanctifi- 
cation of the heart, the work begins with regenera- 
tion, and this secures the perpetuity of sanctifying in- 
fluence until the whole heart shall become sanctified. 
Between sanctification and justification there is of 
necessity this difference : imperfect sanctification sup- 
poses there always remains some corruption in the 
heart, unremoved by sanctifying influence ; but the 
imperfection of our justification does not necessarily 
suppose that some portion of our past sins always re- 
main unforgiven ; but it supposes our liability to in- 
cur new guilt, which will call for the renewed exer- 
cise of repentance on our part, and of forgiveness on 
the part of God. Our first coming to Christ by a holy 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 25 

faith is connected with the remission of all our past sins. 
Rom. 3 : 25. But since, after this, we need the repe- 
tition of sanctifying grace to renew us to repentance, 
we must of consequence stand in need of the repeti- 
tion of pardoning mercy. This is implied in that 
apostolic benediction, " Grace unto you and peace 
be multiplied." Grace is that influence which puri- 
fies the heart, and peace is that divine comfort which 
is consequent upon such purification : both of these 
need to be multiplied. 

But were we to concede to our opponents that, 
from the very first exercise of faith in the Redeemer, 
our justification is uninterruptedly perfect, I see not 
how they can build on this an argument to establish 
the doctrine for which they contend ; since it is con- 
ceded on their part, that very many have been, and 
still are imperfectly sanctified, whom they deem to be 
completely justified. It appears, then, according to 
their own views, that perfect justification and perfect 
sanctification are not uniformly cotemporary. 

One would suppose they must see that their ar- 
gument derived from the atonement's sufficiency 
for perfect sanctification as well as justification, had 
failed them : for if this argument would prove the 
perfect sanctification of one pardoned sinner, it would 
prove the same of every other. 

Seventhly. It is urged, that if perfect sanctifica- 
tion is never attained in this life, none can expect it ; 
and if it be not a matter of expectation, it will not be 
sought after, and, of course, there will be but little 
progress made in the divine life. In reply to this ar- 
gument we would say, that the hope of the imme- 
4 



26 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

diate attainment of a desired object, is by no means 
necessary to awaken effort for its attainment. Jacob 
served Laban twice seven years for his daughter 
Rachel, before he obtained the prize he sought : but 
such was the desirableness of the object he sought, 
that it made the whole of this time seem to him but a 
few days. Is the worldling prevented from making 
effort to acquire property, because he does not ex- 
pect to acquire it all at once ? Does the patient, who 
is convalescent, feel indifferent in the use of means 
to effect a complete removal of his malady, merely 
because his return to health is by degrees ? Does 
not the man who runs in a race strain every nerve to 
gain the prize, though he knows that every step, which 
precedes the last, will fail of reaching the goal ? All 
his previous steps serve to bring him nearer to this 
point, but it is actually reached by none except the 
very last. Why then may not the Christian, in run- 
ning his spiritual race, press toward the mark with 
increasing zeal, although he is convinced that he shall 
always, while on earth, be obliged to confess that he 
has not reached it % 

I am sensible that the resemblance between the 
race in the Grecian games, and that which the Chris- 
tian is running, is not perfect ; for in the former, it is 
physically impracticable to reach the goal, until all 
the intermediate steps have been taken ; but in the 
latter, it is an inexcusable difficulty which prevents 
the goal from being reached by the first step of the 
race. Indeed every step towards the goal is an at- 
tempt to reach it, even without any delay. The right- 
eousness, which the Holy Spirit has infused into the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. * 27 

heart of the Christian, thirsts after perfect righteous- 
ness. There is nothing short of perfect conformity to 
God which will fully satisfy this thirst. It is the na- 
ture of holiness in the Christian's heart, to desire to 
possess a perfection of repentance, a perfection of 
faith and of every other grace of the Spirit. This is 
the mark which he continually seeks to reach. " If, 5 ' 
said Paul, " I might by any means attain to the resur- 
rection of the dead ; not as though I had already at- 
tained, either were already perfect." Submission 
to the will of God, even in his withholding that ful- 
ness of grace which is required to enable us to expel 
every vestige of sin from the heart, and attain to a 
perfect sanctiflcation, will, in my opinion, have no 
mischievous influence to retard our progress in the 
Christian race. The most perfect submission to the 
divine arrangement in this matter has nothing in it 
of the nature of complacency in sin. 

" But supposing that a state of perfect sanctiflca- 
tion is never reached in this life, what possible detri- 
ment," it will be asked, u can arise from the mistake ? 
Will not the influence of the mistake (in case it should 
prove such) operate favorably by prompting to 
greater efforts for growth in grace ?" I answer, that 
a false conception of things is far from being the pro- 
per means to further the cause of piety in the world, 
or in the hearts of individual believers. They w T ho 
are chosen to salvation, let it be remembered, are 
chosen through sanctiflcation of the Spirit and belief 
of the truth — not the belief of an error. The ten- 
dency of error is always noxious, let it be ever so 



28 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

specious. Satan is never a more dangerous foe than 
when he is transformed into an angel of light. 

Now if there is not a just man upon earth who doeth 
good and sinneth not, my believing that there are just 
men on earth who do good without having any exter- 
nal or internal defect of character, may expose me 
to imagine that I am one of these distinguished men. 
If I am actually a just man, but under this mistake, 
(as I certainly must be, provided there is no such 
character on earth.) will the mistake be harmless? 
Will it not stupefy me, and cause me to rest in im- 
perfect attainments, as though they were perfect ? 

And what is more dangerous still — should any one 
imagine himself entirely free from sin, at the same 
time that he is in reality the servant of sin, a belief in 
the doctrine which supposes sinless perfection to be 
the privileged condition of some of the saints on earth, 
would tend to confirm him in the good opinion he en- 
tertains of himself; and this would place him beyond 
the influence of those means by which graceless men 
are stirred up to seek the salvation of their souls. 
Should such a one be counselled to buy gold tried in 
the fire to make him rich, his heart would reply, " I am 
already rich, and increased in goods, and have need 
of nothing." 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 29 



LECTURE II. 

VARIOUS ARGUMENTS DERIVED FROM THE SCRIP- 
TURES TO PROVE THAT CHRISTIANS, WHILE ON 
EARTH, NEVER REACH A STATE OF SINLESS PER- 
FECTION. 

For what saith the Scripture ? Rom. 4:3. 

The principal arguments which are adduced in 
support of the doctrine of sinless perfection, have 
now been placed before you ; and their inconclueive- 
ness, I trust, has been shown. If those arguments 
which we have canvassed do not prove the doctrine, 
is there not good reason to believe it to be incapable 
of proof? I am now prepared to bring forward such 
arguments as have weight in convincing me, and 
which I think must have weight in convincing you, 
my hearers, that sinless perfection is a state to which 
none — not even the most favored of God's children — ■ 
arrive in the present life. 

I. Bible saints, not excepting the most eminent, are 
described as imperfect men. In the life of Noah, the 
father of the new world, the sacred historian records 
an instance of drunkenness. In the life of Abraham, 
the father of the faithful, he records two instances of 
his prevaricating, and denying his wife, through that 
fear of man which bringeth a snare. A similar 
offence was committed by his son Isaac, though he 
4* 



30 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

was doubtless a true believer. The deception prac- 
tised on Isaac by Rebekah and Jacob, forms a dark 
spot in the character of the mother and the son ; yet 
both of them were the friends of God. Moses and Aaron 
were saints, and the former was distinguished by pecu- 
liar nearness of access to God ; and yet even he, as well 
as his less favored brother, was an imperfect man ; 
for he had his spirit so angered that he spoke unad- 
visedly with his tongue. David was a man after 
God's own heart : but there was an instance in which 
he gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to 
blaspheme. Solomon was beloved of his God ; ne- 
vertheless even him did outlandish women cause to 
sin. Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, were pious 
kings ; but it is evident that they were not sinless cha- 
racters. Job was so eminent a saint, that at that 
period of the world he stood in the highest rank ; for 
it is said, there was none like him in the earth : and 
3^et he uttered things for which the Lord reproved 
him, and for which he at length abhorred himself. 
Nor are the saints of the New Testament exhibited 
to us as sinless characters. It is said of Zacharias, 
the father of John the Baptist, that he walked in all 
the commandments and ordinances of the Lord 
blameless ; and yet he is evidently criminated for not 
giving fuller credit to the message which was sent 
to him from the Lord by a holy angel. The disciples 
of Christ, even those who were clean through the 
word which he had spoken to them, were not fully 
cleansed from the filthiness of their flesh and spirit. 
He repeatedly reproved them for the weakness of 
their faith, and for their ambitious desires after hon- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 31 

orable preferment. Though that copious effusion of 
the Spirit, which they received on the day of Pente- 
cost and thenceforward, greatly advanced them in 
holiness, yet it did not purge away all their dross. 
After this there was a certain occasion when, as Paul 
informs us, he withstood Peter to the face, because 
he was to be blamed. At which time the other Jews 
dissembled likewise with him : insomuch that Barna- 
bas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 
There was another time when Paul and Barnabas, 
who were fellow travellers in performing missionary 
labors among the heathen, had a contention so sharp 
as to produce a rupture between them. Though they 
were men full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, men who 
had hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus, 
yet are we compelled, by this sketch of their history, 
to view them as men who had not risen altogether 
above the weakness of depraved human nature. 

The men to whom I have referred you, it will be 
acknowledged, are some of the most shining exam- 
ples of moral excellence which are to be found in the 
biography of the Bible. If there are other men, in 
whose biography no instance of transgression is 
noted, it gives us no right to infer that they were ab- 
solutely faultless. I do not know that any blot rests 
on the character of Daniel. But he himself informs 
us that, on occasion of that memorable fast which he 
kept, near the close of the Babylonish captivity, 
he confessed his own sin as well as the sin of his 
people. Perhaps it will be said, that the solitary 
cases of deviation from the path of God's command- 
ments, which are charged against these good men, 



32 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

amount to no proof that they did not, for the greater 
part of their life, render an entire obedience to these 
commandments. I have no doubt there was, for the 
most part, a kind of blamelessness connected with 
their daily deportment. This was also eminently 
true in the case of David Brainerd, a character well 
known in the Christian community. In the memoir 
which Edwards has given us of this devoted mis- 
sionary, I recollect but one instance of transgression 
which is calculated to arrest our attention. Bat those 
confessions of departure from God and short-comings 
in duty, with which his diary abounds, show us that, 
however regular his life might have been, he was 
in his own estimation very far from being a sinless 
man. 

II. In accordance with what the Scripture says con- 
cerning the sinful defects of particular saints, it ex- 
pressly informs us that such defects are common to 
their whole number. In Solomon's dedicatory prayer 
he intercedes for Israel in language like this: "If 
they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sin- 
neth not)." What he meant by saying, " There is 
no man that sinneth not," may be learned by this de- 
mand, which he makes in the book of his proverbs : 
" Who can say say I have made my heart clean, I 
am pure from my sin ?" This interrogatory clearly 
imports that there is no man who can say in truth 
that his heart is so perfectly clean as to be entirely 
pure from his sin. With this agree the words of the 
same inspired writer in the book of Ecclesiastes : 
" For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 33 

good and sinneth not." In this last passage we no- 
tice, first, That sinful imperfection is predicated of 
the just man. He is the only one among the sons of 
men who does any good ; but this is not all that he 
does — he does evil, he sins. We notice, secondly, 
that there is no just man in all the world who has gone 
beyond this sinful imperfection. The declaration 
amounts to an assertion, that such a man can be 
found nowhere upon earth — neither in the land of 
Israel, nor among the Gentile nations. It implies 
not merely that such a man could not then be found 
on the earth ; but also that the same would be true 
while the earth should remain. The Bible is the 
only inspired book with which the church will ever 
be furnished ; at whatever period therefore her mem- 
bers shall read its sacred pages, they will find it re- 
corded, " There is not a just man upon earth that 
doeth good and sinneth not." 

When the apostle James tells us that in many 
things we all offend, is it not the same as to say with 
Solomon, there is no man that sinneth not ? And 
does not that declaration of Christ, which asserts that 
the children of this world are wiser in their genera- 
tion than the children of light, imply that the distinc- 
tive character of the latter, is less perfect than that 
of the former ? Does it not clearly imply that while 
the children of this world are sinners entire, and 
wholly governed by worldly wisdom, the children of 
light are not saints entire, so as to be uniformly in- 
fluenced by heavenly wisdom ? 

If perfection is to be found upon earth, it is doubtless 
1o be found in the church, which is the salt of the 



34 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

earth. But the Scriptures are far from representing 
the church to be a sinless community. Nor do they 
confine its defective character to its graceless mem- 
bers. The Head of the church speaks of himself as 
being a Vine which has two sorts of branches, fruit- 
ful and unfruitful. But he represents the fruitful 
branches as needing to be purged, to render them 
more fruitful. 

The spouse, described in the Song of Solomon, 
seems to be the true bride of the Lamb : yet she 
confesses herself to be black as well as comely. In 
the third chapter of this book, she speaks of seeking 
him whom her soul loved, and that repeatedly, in 
such a drowsy and ineffectual manner as to prove 
unsuccessful. But on seeking him more diligently, 
she found him and held him fast, charging all around 
her to avoid every thing which would tend to disturb 
her communion with him. Yet after this season of 
delightful communion, in the fifth chapter she de- 
scribes herself as having fallen into such a dead sleep, 
as to be almost incapable of being awaked out of it? 
even by the voice of her Beloved, when knocking at 
her door. From the whole tenor of this allegorical 
book, it is made evident, that the drowsiness which 
it describes, is not intended to characterize the grace- 
less members ; and the wakefulness, to characterize 
the good members of the church. The representa- 
tion is clearly this : That the same individuals were 
alternately drowsy and wakeful ; that the same, who 
at first were so drowsy, as to be incapable of being 
drawn from their bed of sloth, to open the door to the 
heavenly Bridegroom, were brought at length cheer- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 35 

fully to open their door, and were ready to faint with 
grief when they found he had withdrawn himself 
from them. This I think must be a plain case ; if 
the spouse described in this sacred book is the church 
of Christ, her best members are culpably deficient in 
the strength and constancy of their love. 

The same defect of character is implied by the 
parable of the ten virgins. Besides that imperfection 
of the visible church, which is denoted by those 
virgins who took no oil in their vessels, is there not 
an imperfection extending to the other class of her 
members, denoted by their all slumbering and sleep- 
ing while the Bridegroom tarried? And does not 
the very trimming of their lamps imply that their 
light had become dim through some previous neg- 
lect? The parable of the tares of the field very 
naturally presents to our view the imperfection of the 
church, as partly consisting in the unfinished sancti- 
fication of the subjects of grace. The tares might 
not be gathered up, lest the wheat should be rooted 
up with them. It is said by naturalists, that In the 
early stage of their growth, tares have a considerable 
resemblance to wheat. But however much graceless 
men may resemble men of grace, if the latter were 
made perfect in holiness so as no longer to have any 
moral resemblance to the unregenerate, I should 
suppose that a discrimination between the two classes 
of members in the church could be made, without 
any danger of mistake. 

The representation which the Scripture makes 
concerning the character common to all the teachers 
and officers of the church, under both the Old and 



36 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

New Testament dispensations, does much in estab- 
lishing the doctrine of the universal imperfection of 
the saints. If God designed to raise to perfection 
any portion of his church on earth, we should na- 
turally expect that this peculiar favor would be 
granted to those who minister at his altar, and who 
are constituted the interpreters of his will. It is un- 
doubtedly of the last importance to the cause of reli- 
gion, that these should be men of pre-eminent attain- 
ments. But I believe that the Scripture has never 
represented them as sinless characters. That it has 
made a different representation, is very manifest. 
How clearly is the sinful imperfection of the ancient 
priesthood taught, in the epistle to the Hebrews. 
This will appear in the following quotations : " For 
every high priest" (the highest office in the Jewish 
church) " taken from among men, is ordained for 
men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer 
both gifts and sacrifices for sins ; who can have com- 
passion on the ignorant and on them that are out of 
the way ; for that he himself also is compassed with 
infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the 
people, so also for himself to offer for sins." Again, 
after the sinless nature of the great High Priest has 
been fully asserted, it is said of Him, " Who needeth 
not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacri- 
fices first for his'own sins, and then for the people's. — 
For the law maketh men high priests which have 
infirmity" Sinful infirmity is clearly intended in 
both these passages. It is worthy of particular 
notice, that the thought seems never to have been 
indulged that a case could ever occur, that a high 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 37 

priest, taken from among men, would be found who 
was not compassed with infirmity, and who would 
not nee&daily to offer sacrifices for his own sins. See 
Heb. 5: 1—3 ; 7:27,28. 

Among the teachers of the Jewish church, the 
prophets held a conspicuous place, and in general 
they were distinguished for their piety. The apostle 
James, in the fifth chapter of his epistle, holds them 
up to his brethren as an example worthy of their 
imitation. But that he did not intend to describe 
them as examples of sinless perfection, we infer from 
what he says in the same chapter concerning one of 
the most distinguished of their number : " Elias was 
a man subject to like passions as we are, and he 
prayed earnestly." &c. Its being said that he was a 
man subject to like passions with us, seems most na- 
turally to denote his imperfection in holiness : other- 
wise the same remark would have applied to the 
Redeemer himself; who, as to all the innocent appe- 
tites of the body, and affections of the mind, was 
subject to like passions with his brethren of the 
human race. In prefacing the account of the preva- 
lence of the prophet's prayers, by telling us that he 
was subject to like passions as we are, did not the 
apostle manifestly design to encourage us to go bold- 
ly to the throne of grace, though conscious of great 
moral imperfection ? 

Some may imagine, though all the ministers of 
religion under the Old Testament were men who 
needed daily forgiveness, that the ministry of the 
New Testament is quite different. But do the Scrip- 
tures authorize us to consider the difference to be as 
5 



38 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

great as between sinful imperfection and sinless per- 
fection ? Christ himself kept a theological school to 
train men for the ministry of the gospel : and the dis- 
ciples of this school were all, one excepted, favored 
with the inward teachings of the Spirit. But this is 
certain, that while they remained in the school, 
though aided by the instructions, prayers and exam- 
ples of a perfect Master, they did not one of them 
rise to a sinless state. They were just completing 
their three years' course, when they exhibited affect- 
ing proof of a sinful attachment to earthly honors. 
It seems to have been at the time of the last pass- 
over, that we hear of their having a strife among 
them, which of them should be accounted greatest. 
Luke 22 : 24. Even the beloved disciple once came, 
with his mother and brother, to request a place of 
honorable distinction in his kingdom ; which they 
all supposed he was then about to set up on the earth. 
I am aware that the crucifixion and resurrection of 
their Master, and the season of prayer which pre- 
ceded the Pentecost, together with the wonderful ef- 
fusion of the Spirit on that memorable day, greatly 
improved the character, as well as the knowledge, of 
those whom Christ had been training for the ministry 
of the word : but, as it has been shown under the 
preceding article, they still gave evidence of being 
imperfect men. 

Is not the moral imperfection of the whole New 
Testament ministry implied in this declaration of 
Paul : But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and 
not of us ? This was as much as to say, that men. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 39 

who not only have frail dying bodies, but whose souls 
have been entirely depraved, and now but partially 
recovered from that depravity, are employed, instead 
of holy angels or the spirits of just men made per- 
fect, to be the heralds of the cross; that by means of 
the weakness and unworthiness of the instruments 
employed, the greater glory might redound to God, 
the Supreme Agent. 

I [I. In perfect agreement with those scriptural 
representations which I have already placed before 
you, it is found that the greatest saints, in their best, 
frames and nearest approaches to God, appear to be 
the most deeply convinced of their sinful defects. That 
Job w T as, in his day, a saint of the first magnitude, 
we have the best proof, even the testimony of Him 
who can neither lie nor be deceived. At the com- 
mencement of his sore trials he bad a high degree of 
piety, and yet at the close of them he appears to 
have had still more. But with all this increase of 
piety, he was deeply affected with his remaining de- 
pravity. Now it was that he exclaimed, u Behold, I 
am vile ; what shall I answer thee ? I will lay my 
hand upon my mouth." It was in the continuance 
of the same excellent frame of mind that he soon 
after cried out, i: I have heard of thee by the hearing 
of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee : wherefore 
I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." In 
the nineteenth Psalm, David expresses the adoring 
views which he had of the glory of God, as declared 
in the book of nature and the book of inspiration. 
With these views of Divine glory before him, he 



40 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

turns his eyes within and exclaims, u Who can un- 
derstand his errors ? cleanse thou me from secret 
faults." 

The prophet Isaiah tells us of a vision which he 
had in the year that king Uzziah died. He saw the 
Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and 
his train filled the temple. He heard the seraphims 
in their worship crying one to another, and saying, 
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ; the whole 
earth is full of his glory." And what effect did this 
vision have on the mind of the prophet ? It increased 
his conviction of his own sinfulness, as well as of the 
sinfulness of those among whom he lived. His lan- 
guage on the occasion was, " Wo is me ! for I am 
undone ; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I 
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips : for 
mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." 
Daniel, in the tenth chapter of his book, gives us an 
account of a vision he had, which I think much re- 
sembles John's vision of Christ, recorded in the first 
chapter of the Apocalypse ; and he informs us that 
as an effect of this vision, his comeliness was turned 
into corruption. Is it rational to understand him to 
refer to the comeliness of his face 1 Is it not more 
reasonable to believe he means to tell us, such was 
the effect of the Divine glory which he saw, that his 
moral beauty seemed to fade away, and even to be 
changed into deformity 1 When Moses came down 
from the mount, where he had been forty days con- 
versing with God, all the camp of Israel saw that the 
skin of his face shone; while he himself was not con- 
scious of the lustre. Was not this intended to teach 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 41 

us that while near approaches to God render us more 
attractive objects to beholders, they serve to produce 
such increasing conviction of the existence and the 
evil nature of sin as tends to prevent us from think- 
ing highly of ourselves ? 

One of the first interviews which Peter had with 
Christ was at the lake of Gennesaret. After he had 
heard the sermon which was preached in his fishing 
boat, and had seen his net filled with a multitude of 
fishes, the very day after he had toiled all night with- 
out any success, he exclaimed, " Depart from me, for 
I am a sinful man, O Lord." He doubtless meant to 
say that he was not worthy of the presence of such 
a visitant. The presence of Christ had this effect on 
Peter, to make him feel more deeply than before, that 
he was a sinful man. If he had such humbling 
views of himself on this occasion, how must he have 
felt on the day of Pentecost when Christ so em- 
phatically made him a fisher of men ? 

Near approaches to God have had such an effect 
on the children of God in every part and period of 
the w T orld. This remark, I believe, is confirmed by 
most of the biographies of men and women, who 
have been distinguished for the soundness of their 
faith and the depth of their experimental religion. I 
will here take the liberty to mention the case of 
Thomas Hallyburton, an eminent Scotch divine, 
whose memoir is well worthy of a perusal. His 
communion with God was uncommonly intimate ; • 
and in proportion to this, appears to have been his 
conviction of the dreadful evils of his heart. As to 
those followers of the Lamb that are yet in their pil- 
5* 



42 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

grimage, very many among them, who appear highly 
to prize communion with' God, agree with Job, Isaiah, 
Daniel, and other Bible saints, in testifying that in 
their nearest approaches to the Holy One of Israel 
they have the most affecting sense of their vileness 
— not only of their former, but of their present vile- 
ness. 

Now if the point, which we have been endeavor- 
ing to establish under the two preceding articles, is 
true, namely, That there is no sinless character, even 
among good men, it is not difficult to understand why 
good men should be the most affected with their sin- 
fulness in their nearest approaches to God. It is not 
because they have the most sin at such seasons ; for 
the reverse is doubtless true : but if they have any 
sin remaining in them, these will be the times when 
they will perceive it with uncommon clearness ; for 
the light of God's holiness makes their darkness 
manifest. 

IV. Additional evidence, that moral imperfection 
is the universal condition of believers on earth, is 
obtained by looking at the structure of those two cove- 
nants of promise which relate to their salvation ; the 
first of which was made between the Persons of the 
Godhead, before the foundation of the world; and 
the other with believers themselves, after their trans- 
lation from the power of darkness into the kingdom of 
God's dear Son. Both these covenants contemplate 
the redeemed family to be in a state of moral imper- 
fection, so long as they continue in their earthly pil- 
grimage. In the covenant between the Persons of 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 43 

the Godhead, which in modern times has been dis- 
tinguished by being called the covenant of redemp- 
tion, provision is made for the preservation of the 
church on earth as an imperfect society — imperfect 
even in its best members, In this covenant the 
Mediator engages to make intercession for trans- 
gressors : not merely to procure for them the grace 
of regeneration, but also that grace which is needful 
10 recover them from their wanderings. The apostle 
John, addressing himself to Christians, says, " My 
little children, these things write I unto you, that ye 
sin not : and if any man sin, we have an Advocate 
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." It 
appears from a passage in the epistle to the Hebrews, 
which I will now cite, that his advocacy at the court 
of heaven is much needed by his people on earth : 
" Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost 
that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to 
make intercession for them." 

Even Christ's own family needed his continual in- 
tercessions for them. He said to Peter, " Behold, 
Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you 
as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith 
fail not : and when thou art converted, strengthen thy 
brethren." In this instance it appears that Christ 
did not pray that Peter might be preserved from 
temptation, or from yielding to it, but rather that he 
might be recovered from that fall which it would oc- 
casion. This will assist us in understanding that 
important text relative to temptation in general, 
which is found 1 Cor. 10 : 13: " There hath no temp- 
tation taken you but such as is common to man : but 



44 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted 
above that ye are able ; but will with the temptation 
make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear 
it." Neither of the Persons of the Godhead stands 
pledged to prevent believers from being tempted to 
sin 5 nor to prevent their being foiled by the tempter ; 
but they are all engaged : either, first, to prevent the 
believer from being tempted ; or, secondly, to prevent 
his yielding to the temptation ; or, thirdly, to deliver 
him out of the snare of the devil, in which he has 
been taken. 

You will remember that Christ spoke of things 
which were written in the Psalms concerning him. 
The eighty-ninth Psalm seems to have much in it 
concerning the Redeemer. Under that covenant of 
royalty which God made with David, to give the 
throne of Israel to him and his seed after him, is 
plainly exhibited the covenant of redemption, wherein 
the Father engages to give his Son a holy seed, 
whom he will never utterly cast off. But it is con- 
templated that this holy seed, while on earth, will be 
in such a state of imperfection as to expose them to 
forsake his law, and not walk in his judgments ; to 
break his statutes, and not keep his commandments. 
In this case God threatens : " Then will I visit their 
transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with 
stripes : nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not 
utterly take from Mm" (that is, from Christ, with 
whom the covenant of redemption is made,) "nor 
suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I 
not break, nor alter the thing which is gone out of 
my lips." It is here supposed that such might be 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 45 

the conduct of Christ's elect seed, after their incor- 
poration into his family, as to provoke his righteous 
Father to expel them thence, were it not for that 
everlasting covenant which he had made with his 
Son, their surety; wherein he had engaged not to 
proceed to such extremities in manifesting his dis- 
pleasure against his wayward children, as to disin- 
herit and cast them off forever. All this makes it 
evident, that the covenant of redemption contem- 
plated the moral imperfection of the Israel of God, 
while they should remain in this state of probation. 

The covenant of grace, which is made with be- 
lievers themselves, in and through their Surety, is the 
development of the covenant between the Persons of 
the Godhead, relating to their redemption from ini- 
quity and the curse of the law. And in this covenant, 
which is made with themselves, their imperfect re- 
covery from a sinful state is manifestly recognized. 
The Psalmist says, " If thou, Lord, shouldest mark 
iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is 
forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." 
Again he says, " Enter not into judgment with thy 
servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be jus- 
tified." Ps. 130 : 3, 4, and 143 : 2. In these pas- 
sages it is evident that David viewed the covenant 
which God had made with his servants, to be so con- 
structed as to provide for the forgiveness of their re- 
peated transgressions ; else there would not be one of 
them that could stand : that if repeated acts of for- 
giveness on the part of God had not been pledged in 
the covenant of his grace, the repeated offences of 
his servants would not only interrupt, but bring to an 



48 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

end their friendly intercourse with him. He pleads, 
" There is forgiveness, that thou mayest be feared." 
This was as much as to say, that on earth the 
worship of God could not be kept up, but all inter- 
course with him, if commenced, must be broken off 
and discontinued, were he not on the mercy-seat, 
ready to forgive our daily faults. David gloried in 
the Lord as his shepherd — not merely because he 
made him to lie down in green pastures, but because 
he restored Ms soul. Had this characteristic been 
wanting, he would not have been the shepherd which 
such a flock as his stands in need of. See Ps. 23. 
Had the covenant of grace contained no such promise 
as that, Hos. 14 : 4, " I will heal their backsliding," 
it would not have reached the necessitous condition 
of the church militant, nor the necessitous condition 
of any of its members. 

It may be thought that the argument under this 
head proves no more than that some of the saints are 
imperfect, and that they are all liable to go out of the 
way. If so, it will at least stand as a cogent argu- 
ment against that perfectionism which is of the 
grossest kind. But I am inclined to believe that, 
taken in connection with other arguments, it does 
much to support the doctrine of a universal imper- 
fection of the Christian character. Since both of the 
covenants, to which I have referred, agree in making 
provision for the perseverance of saints, who are in 
a state of imperfect sanctification, it is natural to 
conclude that this is the condition of their whole 
number ; unless express exceptions are made. And 
the Psalmist intimates that no such exceptions can 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 47 

be made, when he says, " If thou, Lord, shouldest 
mark iniquities, tcho shall stand ? " 

V. The discipline which God has established in 
his church, though well adapted to promote its purity, 
is itself an indication of its impurity or imperfection 
in holiness. For the moral improvement of the 
church, the Lord has appointed a corrective disci- 
pline, requiring its members to be ready both to 
administer and receive reproof. Under the former 
dispensation this precept was enjoined : " Thou shalt 
not hate thy brother in thy heart ; thou shalt in any 
wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon 
him." In harmony with this precept, David says. 
" Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness : 
and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil. 
which shall not break my head." Ps. 141 : 5. A 
precept similar to the one which was enjoined on the 
church of Israel, was given by the Savior to the 
New Testament church, for the regulation of its dis- 
cipline ; which shows that, even under this more 
luminous dispensation, the church was not expected 
to be free from all its dross. The precept relative to 
discipline, which was given by Christ, is as follows : 
" Moreover, if thy brother trespass against thee, go 
and tell him his fault between thee and him alone : 
if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one 
or two more, that in the mouth of two or three wit- 
nesses every word may be established. And if he 
shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church : 
but if he neglect to hear the church ; let him be unto 



48 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

thee as a heathen man and a publican." Matt. 18 : 
15—17. 

If the Scriptures had contemplated the Christian 
church as a faultless society, the apostle John would 
never have given its members such a direction as 
this : " If any man see his brother sin a sin which is 
not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him 
life for them that sin not unto death." When the 
apostle James urges this upon Christians : " Confess 
your faults one to another, and pray one for another, 
that ye may be healed," it teaches us never to expect 
to see a sinless church below the skies. And what 
Christ himself said, as recorded by the Evangelist 
Luke, is more to our purpose than what was said 
by either of his apostles : " Take heed to your- 
selves ; If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke 
him ; and if he repent, forgive him ; and if he tres- 
pass against thee seven times a day, and seven times 
in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou 
shalt forgive him." With the same thing in view, 
Peter, who had been forgiven the great sin of deny- 
ing his Master, exhorts his brethren to have fervent 
charity among themselves ; and then, to enforce his 
exhortation, he shows them what it would accom- 
plish : " For charity shall cover the multitude of 
sins." Did not this imply that Christians would 
greatly need this excellent grace — that they would 
certainly need to be the subjects > and might need to 
be the objects of such an expansive charity ? 

Perhaps it will be said, that the necessity of disci- 
pline in the church of God, arises wholly from the 
intrusion of false brethren within her sacred walls. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 49 

It is doubtless a fact, that a majority of those cases, 
which require Vl whole course of church discipline, 
result from the admission of bad members. The 
subjects of grace, though not yet made perfect in 
holiness, are commonly men of a blameless life. Yet 
even these need the benefits of that discipline, which 
consists in brotherly admonition. They who, like 
David, will take reproof as- a kindness, may some- 
times very much need reproof. Christ reproved the 
church at Ephesus, because she had left her first 
love. If we were to take a pattern from our Master, 
and reprove for declension in religion, who would not 
be both the reprover and the reproved ? Paul, in his 
epistle to Galatia, says, " Brethren, if a man be over- 
taken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such 
a one in the spirit of meekness ; considering thyself, 
lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's 
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." It seems 
that the apostle would have the officers, and the 
most spiritual members of the church, be reminded 
that, while they are prosecuting a complaint against 
a delinquent, they are themselves liable to be tempted 
and overcome, so as to need the rod of discipline to 
recover them from some wayward course. Gal. 6: 1, 2. 
If the argument now before us, which is derived 
from the necessity of discipline to keep pure the 
church, does not conclusively prove the imperfection 
of all Christians, it gives credibility to that doctrine. 
Provided every thing else is adapted to exhibit the 
family of Christ on earth, as but partially cleansed 
from sin, the argument derived from the establish- 
ment of discipline for the purpose of promoting the 
6 



50 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

purity of its members, will add weight to those argu- 
ments which more directly prove, that there is not a 
sinless character in the whole Christian family. 

VI. Having shown that God's appointment of 
church discipline, for correcting the errors of his peo- 
ple, is a proof of their present imperfection, I proceed 
to show that the discipline, which He himself uses 
with them all the while they remain on the earth, is a 
proof that so long their imperfection remains.' 1 
u Many are the afflictions of the righteous." And 
these are the rod of discipline, with which the Lord 
chastises them for their good. " Is there evil in the 
city, and the Lord hath not done it?" No, there is 
no evil befalls our nation, our church, our family, or 
ourselves, which does not come from the hand of 
God. In addressing the Old Testament church he 
says, " I have chosen thee in a furnace of affliction.* 3 
But why in a furnace of affliction ; seeing he doth 
not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men I 
The prophet thus answers this interesting inquiry : 
" By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be 
purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin.'* 
Isai. 27: 9. Now if this is all the fruit of his afflic- 
tion, to take away his sin, may it not be safely infer- 
red, that when all the sin of Jacob is taken away, his 
affliction will also cease? The prophet Malachi 
compares the Redeemer (whose coming he foretold) 
to a refiner and purifier of silver. But will a refiner 
and purifier, possessed of his benevolent spirit, keep 
up the fire after he perceives the dross is all purged 
away ? 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 51 

In the 12th chapter of Hebrews, the writer takes 
pains to console the disciples of Christ, under their 
multiplied afflictions. First he informs them, that 
there are no legitimate children in the family of God, 
whom he does not correct. Next he assures them, 
that God never corrects his children wantonly ; 
(which parents might sometimes do ;) but that He 
always does it for their profit. He then tells them 
wherein consists the profit of affliction, namely in 
t his : " that we might be partakers of Ms holiness" 
All this chastening and scourging plainly indicates 
the imperfect sanctification of those sons and daugh- 
ers whom the Lord loveth. And with this represen- 
tation the Scriptures all harmonize. When Peter 
had given the saints, to whom he wrote, some de- 
scription of their heavenly inheritance, he reminds 
them that now for a season there was a need be for 
their being in heaviness through manifold temptation. 
But i^ their sin had all been purged away, would the 
necessity for their manifold temptation have still 
existed ? Now since it is an undisputed fact, that so 
long as the heirs of promise tabernacle in the flesh, 
they groan, being burdened with a variety of afflic- 
tions, we argue hence, that so long as they live on 
the earth, they need the discipline of the rod, to cor- 
rect their follies, and purge away their sin. 

To arrest this argument, it may be urged that 
Christ, who knew no sin, was nevertheless a great 
sufferer : but it should be remembered, that he suf- 
fered as our substitute, the just for the unjust, that 
he might bring us to God. Though the sufferings of 
li the man Christ Jesus" exerted an influence to im- 



52 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

prove his character, (for he was made perfect 
through sufferings,) still it would never have been 
consistent with the righteous government of God, to 
put the human nature of Christ into such a state of 
suffering, had not he, who knew no sin, consented to 
be made sin for us, that we might be made the right- 
eousness of God in him. You will all doubtless 
agree with me in the sentiment, that it is incompati- 
ble with the nature of God's government, that he 
should put his loyal subjects, his perfectly obedient 
creatures, into a state of suffering, for the sake of 
giving greater strength to their loyalty and obe- 
dience. Will you not advance a step further, and 
agree with me in the sentiment, that it is repugnant 
to the genius of the Divine government, to continue 
the infliction of stripes on those transgressors who, 
through the blood of the cross, have attained to a 
heaven of perfect holiness ? It is true that the ill-de- 
sert of such must of necessity remain, after they 
have reached the world of glory; yet they are no 
more liable to suffer punishment than creatures that 
never transgressed. Should it be urged, that in case 
suffering would add new degrees of excellency to 
their perfected minds, it would be consistent to bring 
them again into a suffering state, such a sentiment 
would be contrary to all the ideas we have formed 
concerning a perfect moral government, whether 
administered under a dispensation of law or of grace. 
Are we not prepared to say, it would be derogatory 
to the government of the Most High, to entertain the 
sentiment, that he may hereafter inflict misery upon 
just men whose spirits are made perfect in heaven? 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 53 

And why are we not prepared to question the sound- 
ness of the sentiment^ which supposes that punish- 
ment continues to be inflicted on just men whose 
spirits are made perfect on earth ? Are they, after 
possessing the spirit and temper of heaven to perfec- 
tion, still kept under the rod, merely because they 
remain on the earth ? Is it not much more reason- 
able to believe, that when God finishes the work of 
sanctification in the hearts of his children, he Will at 
the same time remove them from this world of suffer- 
ing to one where there is no more curse ? 



LECTURE III. 



THE SUBJECT CONTINUED. 



VII. The self-examination which the Scriptures 
urge upon Christians ', to enable them to ascertain 
whether or not they have the Spirit of Christ, seems 
clearly to intimate that the Christian character does 
not in this life attain to perfection. The Christian's 
perfection in holiness would be so totally different 
from the entire depravity of his natural state, as to 
render his conversion self-evident. It must be a mat- 
ter which he would always know, and that with as 
much certainty as he knew, of whom we read in the 
ninth chapter of John, that, whereas he was blind, 
he now saw. The case of this blind man is often 
very properly introduced as an illustration of that 



54 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

wonderful transition from darkness to light, which is 
effected by regeneration : but if the change in the 
spiritual vision of the regenerated man were as com- 
plete as that which took place in the natural vision 
of the man alluded to, there would be no call for that 
scrutinizing examination of our religion which is en- 
joined on all the professed subjects of grace. Had 
this been the case we should hardly have met with 
such an exhortation to a Christian church, as that in 
the last chapter of Paul's second epistle to the Co- 
rinthians : u Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the 
faith ; prove your own selves ;" — or that in his epistle 
to the Gaiatians : " If a man think himself to be some- 
thing, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But 
let every man prove his own work, and then shall he 
have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.' 3 
We can see, if Christians have in their hearts un- 
sanctified affections mingled with those which are 
holy, that it will require a close examination to sepa- 
rate the precious from the vile, and to determine that 
any of these affections are of a holy nature. But if 
all their affections were of a holy character, it would 
seem to require no scrutinizing, no proving of them- 
selves, to decide on the genuineness of their religion. 
Do the spirits of just men made perfect need such a 
scrutinizing self-examination, to determine whether 
they are Christians or reprobates, whether they are 
something or nothing ? 

They who advocate the doctrine of sinless perfec- 
tion may say, " Since we do not pretend that all the 
regenerated are perfectly sanctified, some may be 
found in every church who need such exhortations as 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 55 

those which laave been cited from the epistles of Paul. 
Do you think, my brethren, that it would have been 
proper for a single member of those churches, to 
which these exhortations were given, to have said, 
" Such exhortations do not concern me, for they are 
wholly inapplicable to my case?" And is there a 
Christian on earth, who is not laid under obligation 
by these apostolic inculcations carefully to attend to 
the duty of self-examination ? 

The duty of examining the character of our re- 
ligious experiences, is urged upon us by the other 
apostles as well as by Paul. Peter does it in his sec- 
ond epistle, which commences with this address : 
a To them that have obtained like precious faith with 
us, through the righteousness of God and our Savior 
Jesus Christ." He proceeds but a few sentences be- 
fore he exhorts them to " give diligence to make their 
calling and election sure." Now if they had not only 
possessed the precious faith, but a perfection of it, 
would it have required such diligence on their part 
to have gained an assurance of its genuineness ? 
The first epistle of John, which consists of five chap- 
ters, is very much taken up in exhibiting discrimi- 
nating tests of character. In the last chapter he 
says, " These things have I written unto you that be- 
lieve on the name of the Son of God, that ye may 
know that ye have eternal life." Would they have 
needed that variety of tests which he placed before 
them, in case their renovated character had already 
come to perfection? 

We meet with prayers in the Bible, correspond- 
ing with those exhortations which urge upon us a 



56 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

careful scrutiny into the nature of our* experimental 
religion. I will refer to two of these, both of which 
are found in the Psalms of David. In the 26th Psalm 
lie makes this petition: " Examine me, O Lord, and 
prove me ; try my reins and my heart." In the 139th 
he makes a similar request : " Search me, O God, 
and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts ; 
and see if there be any wicked way in me." Such 
petitions would have had no place in his devotions, 
had he been a sinless character He seems to have 
seen in himself a heart so imperfectly sanctified, as 
to excite a fear lest he should be left to cover up 
some wicked thing, instead of promptly confessing 
and forsaking it. Such was the discovery he had of 
the deceitfulness of his heart, that he was afraid to 
believe its report. He therefore begged the aid of 
His eyes who could try the reins and hearts of the 
children of men. 

VIII. The remaining imperfection of the subjects 
of grace is clearly implied by many of the exhorta- 
tions which are addressed to them,; urging upon them a 
closer attention to their own sanctijicaiion. I would 
first refer you to that exhortation, which Peter gave 
to them who had obtained like precious faith with 
him, to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of the 
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Grace is that fa- 
vor which a sinner receives from God when holiness 
enters his heart, transforming him into the divine im- 
age. It is sanctification commenced ; and to grow in 
grace is the same as to grow in sanctification, or to 
become more holy and less sinful. Now this exhor- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 57 

tation, being given to all the believers to whom the 
apostle wrote, manifestly supposes that some deficien- 
cy was common to them all ; so that they all needed, 
and were under obligation, to seek a higher degree 
of sanctification. 

Paul, who wrote more of the inspired epistles than 
all his brethren, often recognizes, in his exhortations 
to the Christians, their remaining depravity. To the 
Corinthian Christians he says, " Having therefore 
these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse our- 
selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, per- 
fecting holiness in the fear of God." Though they 
were dearly beloved brethren, there was still some 
filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit adhering to 
them, which needed to be cleansed away. And though 
they were supposed to be in some degree holy, yet 
their deficiency was such as to render it proper for 
him to urge them to 'perfect holiness in the fear of 
God. Perhaps it will be said that the Corinthian 
church was uncommonly deficient in their piety. If 
it was so, the same objection cannot be made against 
the church of Philippi. Yet to the saints at Philippi 
the apostle says, k ' Work out your own salvation with 
fear and trembling ; for it is God which worketh in 
you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." 
There is an important difference between working 
out our own salvation, and working out our own jus- 
tifying righteousness. The justifying righteousness, 
in which such guilty creatures are to be accepted, 
was wrought out by another and abler hand, and is 
already complete. But our salvation, as the word is 
used in the passage just quoted, consists in a deliver- 



58 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ance from the sin which dwells in us. In getting 
clear from sin we have a personal agency — a depend- 
ent agency it is true ; for it is God who worketh in 
us both to will and to do — but this dependence does 
nothing to render useless our own activity. Now the 
command, to work out our own salvation, implies that 
our salvation from sin is not yet complete. It never 
becomes complete so long as a vestige of sin remains. 
This exhortation of Paul to his Philippian brethren, 
evidently supposed them to be imperfect saints. They 
had done something at the work which he urged upon 
them ; and their salvation — their perfect deliverance 
from sin — was nearer than when they first believed ; 
but it was not yet attained. The saints at Ephesus 
were exhorted to put off the old man, and to be re- 
newed in the spirit of their mind : and those at 
Colosse, to mortify their members that were upon the 
earth, and to put on the new man, which is renewed 
in knowledge after the image of the Creator. Do 
not exhortations like these make it evident, in rela- 
tion to the subjects of grace, that though their old 
man was crucified, he had not yet expired ; that though 
they were renewed in the spirit of their mind, they 
needed the renovation to be as it were daily renewed, 
and carried on to higher degrees of perfection ? 

There was perhaps no church, of which Paul en- 
tertained a better opinion than of that at Thessalo- 
nica. Especially does he commend their love to 
their Christian brethren : u But as touching brother- 
ly love, ye need not that I write unto you ; for ye 
yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 
And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 59 

are in all Macedonia : but we beseech you, brethren, 
that ye increase more and moreP He speaks of their 
love as being of a heavenly birth and a pure charac- 
ter ; as being expansive and exemplary ; and still 
he seems not contented with all this, but beseeches 
them to increase more and more. Did he not hereby 
say to them, " Though I commend your love to the 
brethren as somewhat distinguished, still I must tell 
you that it is not equal to your obligations : therefore 
suffer me to entreat you to grow in this grace, as 
w T ell as in every other part of the Christian charac- 
ter." There is an exhortation in the beginning of 
the 12th chapter of Hebrews which is to our point : 
" Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about 
with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside 
every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, 
and let us run with patience the race that is set be- 
fore us." Whatever may be intended by the sin 
which doth so easily beset us ; whether unbelief, 
which some suppose is meant, as being a sin which 
easily besets the whole family of Christ; or what is 
more usually termed the besetting or constitutional 
sin, which may be different in different persons, this 
is evident, that such an exhortation indicates the sin- 
ful imperfection of those to whom it is addressed. 

Those epistles, which Christ addressed to the sev- 
en churches of Asia, are couched in such language 
as to imply a blameable defect in the character of 
those whom he loved. There is scarcely one of the 
churches of whose piety he speaks more honorably 
than of Ephesus : and yet to this church he says, " I 
have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left 



60 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

thy first love." Their first love no doubt fell short 
of the pattern he left for their imitation : and now 
they had fallen below, not only the example which 
he had set them, but even below their own example 
at an earlier period of their Christian course. 

I have now placed before you some of the exhorta- 
tions, which God in his word addressed to the 
churches planted by the apostles, in that period when 
his Spirit was remarkably poured out from on high. 
Do not these exhortations clearly intimate the moral 
imperfection even of primitive Christians 1 If it 
should be said, that the exhortations that have been 
introduced are but a few of the many which were 
addressed to the primitive Christians, I grant it : but 
while these exhortations manifestly imply the sinful 
imperfection of those to whom they were addressed, 
none of a contrary nature can be produced, implying 
that sinless perfection was the character of any 
church, or of a single member of any church. Let it 
be remembered that neither the exhortations nor 
commands, which enjoin a perfection of holiness, 
afford any proof of the actual existence of such per- 
fection. 

IX. That growth in grace or progress in piety, 
which is attributed to the saints during their stay on 
earth, shows that a degree of sinful imperfection at- 
tends their whole course. I know that there is a sense 
in which the saints in glory progress continually ; not 
only by the expansion of their intellect, but also by a 
correspondent increase of holiness, filling up the intel- 
lectual expansion with moral excellence. This, how- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 61 

ever, is not what is meant by their progressing in piety 
here upon earth. A gradual improvement of charac- 
ter, proceeding from one degree of sanctification to 
another, is the thing intended. 

" Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, 
leaning upon her Beloved ?" Cant. 8. 4. It is the 
spouse of Christ — the church of the living God, com- 
prehending all her spiritual children. Her coming 
up from the wilderness, indicates her continual ap- 
proximation towards the land of promise, not only in 
the order of time^ but in her preparation for the en- 
joyment of its holy rest. But if progress in holiness 
is not made evident by this description of the church, 
as coming up from the wilderness towards her heav- 
enly rest, such progress is made plain by that mem- 
orable passage, Prov. 4. 18 : M But the path of the 
just is as the shining light, that shineth more and 
more unto the perfect day." On this passage I re- 
mark, (1.) Although it is found in the Old Testa- 
ment, it belongs to that book of inspired proverbs or 
aphorisms, which in their application are restricted to 
no age or portion of the world. (2.) The person 
who is here denominated the just, is the same as the 
saint, the renovated man, the only truly good char- 
acter known in the Scriptures. (3.) The path of 
the just is the road which he travels through this sin- 
ful world to one where sin is not found. As there is 
a highway for the traveller, through which he passes 
to the city or place of his destination, so there is a 
highway, called the way of holiness, which conducts 
the just man to the city of God. (4.) It is worthy of 
notice, that the path of the just is compared to the 
7 



62 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

shining light (that is, the sun) which shineth more 
and more unto the perfect day. Here is an allusion 
to a thing which is very familiar to us all. We know 
that after the morning dawns, the light continually 
gains upon the darkness, until, by the sun's rising, 
the light of day becomes perfect. 

This striking figure, which the Holy Ghost select- 
ed for the sake of illustrating the good man's journey 
through this dreary wilderness to the land of promise, 
supposes his whole existence to be divided into three 
distinct periods. First, The period of his unrege- 
neracy, which comprises that portion of his life when 
he is in total moral darkness ; before the day dawns and 
the day-star arises in his heart. Secondly, The period 
which comprises the whole of his religious life, from 
the dawning of grace in his soul, till the close of his 
pilgrimage. This, in the passage before us, is what 
is intended by the just man's path. It commences at 
the spot where his feet are first turned into the nar- 
row way which leadeth unto life, and terminates with 
that eternal life to which it leads. Now this moral 
path is here very plainly described by allusion to the 
progress which light makes in the natural world, after 
the dawn until the rising of the sun. This is precisely 
the thing which the figure in the passage before us 
was designed to illustrate, namely, the progressive im- 
provement of the just man's character. Thirdly, 
The other period of the just man's existence is de- 
noted by perfect day; which is nothing less than 
heaven itself. This bright period is endless in its 
duration. 

These three periods of the just man's existence 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 63 

are described by a marked difference. The first and 
the last, however, agree in this, that they are both en- 
tire and unmixed. The first is entire darkness, the 
last, perfect light. Wherein does the middle period 
differ from the other two ? In this ; that it is made 
up of a mixture of darkness and of light. In this 
mixed period, the light of holiness is gradually ad- 
vancing, and the darkness of sin is receding. Here 
then, in this description of the path of the just (a de- 
scription which is of no private interpretation or ap- 
plication) we perceive that the Christian character, 
while on earth, is never perfect, but that it is in a 
state of progressive improvement. 

If the passage which has now been examined had 
no support from parallel passages, it would neverthe- 
less be enough to prove the doctrine for which it has 
been adduced, unless antagonistic passages should be 
found of sufficient strength to destroy its testimony. 
I am not aware that this passage has a single antago- 
nist in ail the Scriptures ; but I amsure it has many 
auxiliaries. In the book of Job there is an auxiliary 
text, where it is said, il The righteous shall hold on 
his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be 
stronger and stronger." The righteous man, and 
he that hath clean hands, mean the same character : 
and his becoming stronger and stronger, as he ad- 
vances in his way to heaven, intends the same thing 
as the increasing brightness of the just man's path. 
There are passages which represent God's noblest 
work here on earth, by the sowing of precious seed ; 
which in prepared ground takes root, and in due 
time brings forth a harvest. The commencement of 



64 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

a work of grace in the heart, is illustrated by the 
seed's vegetating and taking root and the progress 
of the work, by its ripening to a harvest. " So," 
said the Savior, " is the kingdom of God, as if a man 
should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and 
rise night and day, and the seed should spring and 
grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth 
bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then 
the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when 
the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in 
the sickle, because the harvest is come." Mark 4, 
26 — 29. This allusion to husbandry is designed to 
illustrate the stages of spiritual growth, from the 
time the seed of the word takes root in the believer's 
heart, until he becomes ripe for heaven : and when 
ripe, the representation is, that he is brought thither 
without delay, just as the ripened harvest is immedi- 
ately gathered into the barn. 

What did the Savior intend by comparing the 
kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which, 
though a very small seed, produces a plant which re- 
sembles a tree ? and also by comparing it to leaven 
which a woman took and hid in three measures of 
meal, till the whole was leavened ? Whether this 
represents the kingdom of heaven as a holy commu- 
nity on earth, or. as a holy principle in the hearts of 
believers, it illustrates the progressive character of 
this divine kingdom. From small beginnings, by 
passing through various grades, it becomes great : it 
is not all done at once. 

Christians in the church below are represented by 
children who are growing up to the stature of men ; 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 65 

and as needing the ministry of the word and other 
means of grace to further their growth, till they come 
in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of 
the stature of the fulness of Christ. Eph. 4 : 11 — 13. 
Since these means are designed for Christians in their 
spiritual nonage, their growing state, we infer that 
such is the state of all those who are still kept under 
these means. In the fourth chapter of Paul's second 
epistle to the Corinthians 3 after speaking of the sore af- 
flictions which the followers of Christ were called to 
endure, he mentions this as a great support under their 
trials ; that, though their outward man was perishing, 
their inward was renewed day by day. The renew- 
ing of the inward man day by day, whiJeit intimated 
their progress in sanctification implied its imperfec- 
tion. Had the work of divine grace been already 
brought to perfection, they would still have needed 
the power of the Holy Ghost to hold them up. but 
not to renew them day by day. The new man 
which was formed within them, and therefore called 
"the inward man," and '-the hidden man," needed a 
daily improvement of its renovated character. 

X. The prayers of the saints, both such as were 
prescribed for their use, and such as we are informed 
they actually used, clearly imply the sinful imperfection 
of the petitioners. Among the prayers prescribed in 
the Scriptures, that form which is distinguished by 
being called the Lord's prayer claims our first atten- 
tion ; for though I do not suppose that we are required 
to repeat it every day, it is after this manner we are 
7* 



66 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

required to pray at all times. In our being taught 
to ask our heavenly Father to give us this day our 
daily bread, it is clearly implied, that prayer is to be 
a daily exercise. As soon as we have asked for 
our daily bread, we are in the next place instructed 
to ask the forgiveness of our debts, that is, of our 
sins. And I think it is evidently supposed, that we 
shall need to ask the forgiveness of our sins with the 
same frequency as we shall need new supplies of 
bread. That a petition for the daily forgiveness of 
sin, and for its removal by sanctifying influence, 
agrees with the experience of the great majority of 
the present generation of believers, I conclude will 
not be disputed. When from day to day they make 
the petition, Forgive us our debts, they do not refer 
merely to their old debts, which were contracted be- 
fore they took the benefit of the act of grace, but 
they include in their petition numerous other debts 
which have been contracted since that period. 

Another exemplar of acceptable prayer is given us 
by our Divine Teacher, in the eighteenth chapter of 
Luke. After he had spoken a parable, the object of 
which is to encourage importunity in prayer, he pro- 
ceeds, in another parable, to teach the indispensable- 
ness of humble contrition in this duty. I refer to the 
parable of the two men who went up to the temple 
to pray, the one a pharisee, and the other a publican. 

If any should imagine that the prayer, which 
Christ puts into the mouth of the publican, is de- 
signed to describe the awakened, rather than the re- 
newed sinner, they greatly err ; for the humility and 
contrition so prominent in this prayer, are clearly the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 67 

exercises of the renewed, and not of the unrenewed 
man. " God heareth not sinners, 5 ' that is, while in 
their unrenewed state, since they are still in the flesh, 
and therefore cannot please God. But the prayer of 
•the publican was heard ; for he went down to his 
house in a justified state. It appears that by this 
parable Christ designed to teach his disciples, not 
only the necessity of repentance for past sins, but 
also the necessity of a deep conviction of remaining 
sinfulness, in order to render their prayers acceptable 
to a sin- hating God. The place the publican took, 
his gestures and words, are all expressive. " Stand- 
ing afar off, he w T ould not lift up so much as his eyes 
to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God 
be merciful to me a sinner." The character here 
portrayed, seems perfectly to agree with that of the 
man of Uz. See Job 40 : 3-5. 

A knowledge of the plague of one's own heart is 
made a requisite to acceptable prayer, as we learn 
from that prayer which Solomon was led by the 
Spirit of God to pour forth at the dedication of the 
temple. He requests God to hear what prayer and 
supplication soever should be made by any man, or 
by all the people of Israel, which should " know every 
man the plague of his own heart." This naturally 
imports that every man, including all such as pray, 
has a diseased heart — a heart not yet perfectly cured 
of sin, that worst of diseases, which is not improperly 
denominated ;i the plague of the heart." It also im- 
ports that a consciousness of this moral disease is 
indispensable to acceptable prayer. 

I know that in a parallel passage in Chronicles it 



68 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

is said, " When every one shall know his own sore 
and his own grief." But what sore causes so much 
grief to the man of prayer as an evil heart of unbe- 
lief, prone to depart from the living God ? If it be 
necessary that he should be well acquainted with his 
outward troubles to qualify him to pray, much more 
that he should know his inward troubles, the plague 
of his own heart. One of the forms of prayer which 
God prescribed for the church of Israel, is found in 
the last chapter of Hosea. It is this : " Take with 
you words and turn to the Lord ; say unto him, Take 
away all iniquity, and receive us graciously." What 
Israelite did not, and what Christian does not need 
to pray for the removal of his iniquity 1 

If we now examine those prayers recorded in the 
Scriptures which were poured forth by the servants 
of God on different occasions, we cannot but perceive 
that they prayed like men who were conscious of in- 
dwelling sin. Though David once pleaded, " Pre- 
serve my soul, for I am holy," there is certainly 
enough in those many petitions and confessions of 
his, which are scattered through the Psalms, to satisfy 
us that when he said, " I am holy," he did not mean 
to assert that he was so to perfection. In the 19th 
Psalm, in an address to his Maker, he says, " Who 
can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from 
secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from pre- 
sumptuous sins." Though the 51st Psalm was called 
forth by the most affecting displays of his depraved 
nature, it appears that when he was employed in pen- 
ning it, he had an uncommon degree of grace in ex- 
ercise ; but even then he felt the need of more grace. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 69 

He prayed not only for pardon, but for sanctiflcation : 
" Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a 
right spirit within me." His confessions of sin in the 
38th Psalm, will serve to describe what his fellow 
saints in these latter days intend, when they say that 
they are greatly burdened with sin. His language 
is emphatic : " Mine iniquities have gone over my 
head ; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 
My wounds stink and are corrupt because of all my 
foolishness." His confessions in the 40th Psalm pre- 
sent to our view a soul bowed down under an affect- 
ing sense, not only of past vile conduct, but also of a 
present vile heart: "Mine iniquities have taken hold 
upon me, so that I am not able to look up ; they are 
more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart 
faileth me." In the 85th Psalm he thus expostulates 
with the Hearer of prayer : " Wilt thou not revive us 
again, that thy people may rejoice in thee ?" If God's 
people had arrived to a sinless state, they would not 
need reviving again and again. Nor would they 
need to pray, Turn us again^ provided they had not 
the remains of an evil heart of unbelief, inclining 
them to depart from the living God. 

The 119th Psalm is a portion of Scripture which 
is peculiarly precious to all those who are spiritually 
minded. It exhibits the religion of the Psalmist to 
great advantage. Yet there is much in this Psalm 
which shows that his was not the religion of one who 
had attained to sinless perfection. I have not time, 
unless I protract this part of the subject to a dispro- 
portionate length, to refer you to more than two or 
three things which show this. One is the confession 



70 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

which he makes at the close of the Psalm : " I have 
gone astray like a lost sheep." This is immediately 
followed with the prayer — " Seek thy servant; for I 
do not forget thy commandments." Another confes- 
sion he makes is this : " My soul cleave th unto the 
dust ;" which is followed by a petition for quickening 
grace — " Quicken thou me." To quicken is to re- 
move death by imparting life. The word, when used 
in application to moral subjects, denotes a transition 
from a state of entire sinfulness to the commence- 
ment of a new and spiritual life. But when the 
Psalmist prayed, " Quicken thou me," it did not im- 
ply an acknowledgment that he was an unregenerate 
man, dead in trespasses and sins : yet it did amount 
• to an acknowledgment, that some degree of that spir- 
itual death, which once had an entire dominion over 
him, still hung about him. There are more than ten 
places in this one Psalm where he prays to be quick- 
ened, or recognizes the goodness of God in having 
granted him quickening grace. 

The prayers which are found in the Psalms of Da- 
vid are not only the prayers of an eminent saint ; but 
we must not forget that they were designed to form 
a basis and exemplar for the prayers and songs of 
the whole church, not only during the darker dispen- 
sation of the Old Testament, but to the end of time. 
If it had been God's plan, that the church should at 
length receive grace enough to cause her to emerge 
out of a state of imperfect sanctification, such prayers 
as are placed before us in the book of Psalms, ac- 
companied with such frequent confessions of sin, and 
groanings under its burden, and such repeated pe- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 71 

titions for quickening influence, would never have 
been given us for a model. 

There are other prayers of particular saints, and 
of the church as a body of saints, scattered through 
the Old Testament, which breathe the same humble 
contrite spirit with those of the Psalmist. For ex- 
amples of this kind, I would refer you to the prayers 
which are recorded in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah 
and Daniel, and particularly to those which are 
found in the ninth chapter of each of those books. 

Prayer was much practised in Gospel times, and 
is abundantly inculcated in the New Testament; yet 
but few prayers of any length are recorded in this 
part of the Bible. Christ's intercessory prayer oc- 
cupies more space than any other. In this, he pleads 
for those whom his Father had given him, not that 
they should be immediately taken out of the w T orld, but 
be kept from the evil. As a necessary means of their 
being preserved from the evil in the world, he prays, 
" Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." 
This request for their sanctiflcation, is evidence that 
he considered their renovated character as being but 
imperfectly formed. In harmony with this prayer 
of their Redeemer, the apostles themselves prayed, 
u Lord, increase our faith." Never, while their Master 
remained with them, nor afterwards, did they feel 
that they had enough faith, or enough of any grace 
of the Spirit, so as to preclude the necessity of asking 
for more. In like manner as they prayed for them- 
selves, so did they pray for their converts. Peter 
prayed for the Christians to whom he addressed both 
his general epistles, that grace, as well as peace. 



72 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

might be multiplied to them. After Paul had given 
thanks for the exemplary piety which appeared in 
the saints at Philippi, he adds, " And this I pray, 
that your love may abound yet more and more." It 
seems then that these exemplary Christians had not 
yet been made 'perfect in love. And since this grace 
is the basis of the whole Christian character, so that 
faith worketh by love, and repentance and all the 
other graces work by love, a deficiency in love is in- 
compatible with perfection in any of the Christian 
graces. 



LECTURE IV. 



THE SUBJECT CONTINUED. 



XL The representation which the Scriptures make 
of the Christian warfare is such as to render it very 
evident, that Christians are never in this life freed 
from the remains of their sinful nature. The whole 
of their present life is represented as a militant state. 
In accordance with this representation, they are ex- 
horted to take the whole armor of God, and to place 
themselves in the attitude of warriors on the field of 
battle. The Captain of their salvation has informed 
them, that Satan hath desired to have them, that he 
may sift them as wheat. But he assures them that 
the God of peace shall shortly bruise Satan under 
their feet. Thus' while he encourages them with the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 73 

certain prospect of victory, and that within a short 
time, (for human life is short at the longest,) he re- 
minds them that their warfare is not yet accomplished. 
When the Savior makes the promise of a crown of 
life to him that overcometh, he gives an intimation 
that the war will last as long as life shall last: u Be 
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown 
of life." 

Some may imagine that, though the warfare with 
Satan should be protracted till the end of life, the 
warfare with our own corruptions may terminate at a 
much earlier date. A conflict with Satan, and a 
conflict with one's own corruptions, are not in their 
nature inseparable ; for the Redeemer was acquainted 
with the one, without being acquainted with the 
other. In this respect, there was always a marked 
difference between him and his disciples ; which dif- 
ference he intimated when he said, " The prince of 
this world cometh, and hathnothing in me" — that is, 
' nothing corrupt that he can lay hold on, to stir me up 
to transgress my Father's commandment.' It was 
not so when the prince of this world came to Peter,, 
or to any other of his disciples. Nor do the Scrip- 
tures give us reason to expect it will ever be so while 
they remain in this world of temptation. 

In times past it has been a prevailing sentiment in 
the Christian church, that a part of our spiritual war- 
fare is internal ; that the very seat of war is in the 
Christian's own heart; that his most dangerous foe is 
the flesh — the remains of corruptions unsubdued — 
answering to the remnant of the unsubdued Canaan- 
ites which were left in the land of promise. These, 



74 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

you will remember, were to the Israelites pricks in 
their eyes, and thorns in their sides, to vex them in 
the land wherein they dwelt. Num. 33: 55. I now 
ask, is the sentiment, to which I have referred, with- 
out foundation ? Is there no such enemy as this de- 
scribed in the word of God ? Are all our spiritual 
foes foreign enemies ? This cannot be ; for before 
the Christian arrives at a sinless state, (and our op- 
ponents will acknowledge that there are many who 
never arrive at such a state in the present life,) it is 
impossible that he should not be molested by this 
dreadful enemy, — the sin that dwelleth in him. Now 
if there be such a thing in renovated minds as in- 
dwelling sin, it must to such minds be a painful evil. 
We should therefore naturally expect to hear them 
say much about it, in the disclosures they make of 
their trials and conflicts. In the memoirs of some of 
the brightest lights the church has had since the days 
of the apostles, we find a very particular and large 
description of that inward foe, whose scriptural name 
is ' : the flesh." But as these religious experiences 
are not our standard, but must, as well as our own, 
be tested by the oracles of God, we will first repair 
to those lively oracles, to obtain their decision on this 
important point. 

The question now to be decided is, Do the Scrip- 
tures say any thing, and if any thing, what do they 
say, concerning an internal conflict in the Christian's 
own breast — a conflict between sin and holiness in his 
own heart ? If there is such a conflict, it cannot be 
possible that the book of inspiration, which must con- 
tain a perfect system of doctrinal, experimental and 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. To 

practical religion, should have passed it over in si- 
lence. Seeing the Scriptures have done so much to 
disclose the chambers of imagery in the human heart, 
it would be incredible that they should say nothing of 
those enemies of Immanuel, which cause so much 
trouble in the town of Man-soul, after its first surren- 
der to its rightful Sovereign. And since the word of 
God often brings into view the sorrows of his children. 
can we suppose that it has uniformly concealed that 
which above all things else must be the cause of their 
sorrows, namely, their own unsanctified affections ? 
But if Christians do any of them, or even all of them, 
eventually arrive at sinless perfection in this life, 
there are important reasons why the Christian in his 
imperfect state of sanctification, having a mixed 
character, partly holy, and partly sinful, should be 
placed very prominently before us in the Scrip- 
tures. 

First. Without this we should not be able to de- 
cide correctly concerning our spiritual state. If 
Christians have in this life a mixed character, I ought 
to know it. when I sit down to decide whether I am 
one of their number. If Christians have no such 
thing as selfishness and pride spring up in their hearts, 
the matter is decided at once, that I am not a Chris- 
tian. But if the Christian of the Bible is one who is 
partly conformed, and yet not wholly conformed to the 
image of God, then may I indulge hope, provided I 
can discover in myself any affections which are of a 
disinterested and humble character. Is there in the 
heart of the Christian the company of two contending 
armies, or not ? This question needs to be decided 



76 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

by the word of God, to prepare the way for us to de- 
cide on our own character. But that imperfect sancti- 
jication, which is brought out to view by the Christian 
conflict, needed to be placed before us in the word of 
God, to detect the hope of the hypocrite, as well as to 
confirm that of the true believer. There are but few 
things which are more adapted to show the hypo- 
crite, that he has built his house on the sand, than to 
have placed before him a full development of that 
struggle between holiness and sin, which exists in 
the heart of him who is born of the Spirit. Few 
books are more calculated to unsettle the false con- 
vert, than the Life of David Brainerd. And this 
memoir, you know, does very much to make us ac- 
quainted with the warfare which was carried on in 
the breast of that holy man, from the time he first 
came over on the Lord's side, until he left the 
world. 

Secondly. We need the light of the Scriptures on 
this subject, for the sake of teaching our hands to 
war and our fingers to fight ; that is, we need God 
to instruct us how to prosecute this holy war with 
success. If all the regenerated, while remaining in 
this world, or even any part of them, are but im- 
perfectly sanctified ; if they have totally opposite 
principles in their moral constitution, we need in- 
struction relative to the best measures to be adopted, 
for weakening the one and strengthening the other. 
We need example as well as precept. And the ex- 
ample of one well skilled in this holy warfare is pre- 
eminently desirable. 

Thirdly. If it is true that Christians, or quite a 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 77 

majority of them, are but imperfectly sanctified, we 
ought not for a moment to indulge the thought, that 
the Scriptures would conceal this humiliating fact 
It is not the manner of these holy writings to give 
flattering titles or false characters to men. If saints, 
even the best of them, are morally imperfect, it is for 
the honor of God's word to say so : else, when im- 
perfection is discovered to belong to them, it would 
militate against the integrity of its character. It is 
to the honor of God's word, that it condemns all sin, 
and that it requires of the saints a perfection in holi- 
ness; but if they have not yet attained to perfection, 
it must be to the honor of this holy book to avow it. 
You well know, my brethren, that there are pas- 
sages of Scripture which have commonly been un- 
derstood as descriptive of the conflict between holi- 
ness and sin in the heart of the Christian. I am 
aware that many are of opinion, that these passages 
describe the conflict between man's rational faculties 
and his sensual desires ; or between an enlightened 
conscience and a wicked heart. That there is a con- 
flict of this nature I will not deny. It is this which 
is probably alluded to, Rom. 2 : 15. But what is go- 
ing on in the heart of the imperfectly sanctified be- 
liever, must be more worthy to be noted in the Scrip- 
ture of truth, since it is a conflict betwixt two oppo- 
site moral principles, and a conflict which can never 
cease until one of these principles is subdued, and 
the other reigns without a rival. It would therefore 
be very strange if this wonderful conflict, where sin 
and holiness, hell and heaven — the greatest moral 
opposites in the universe — are in a state of continual 
8* 



to LECTURES CE THE MORAL 

strife for the mastery, as they must be in the hearts 
of the great majority of the heirs of the kingdom, 
(as our opponents will grant.) I say it would be 
strange, if the Scriptures should pass it over with 
scarcely an allusion to it. I think that, reasoning 
a priori, we should naturally have arrived at the 
conclusion, that a practical subject of such impor- 
tance would not be passed in silence ; but that some 
of the holy men who were moved by the Holy 
Ghost to write the Scriptures, would be directed, not 
only to speak of this conflict, but to furnish us with 
a graphic description of it, warm from their own 
hearts. With all these reasons for expecting to find 
the internal warfare of the Christian distinctly noted 
in the Scripture of truth, let us take up the sacred 
volume and see what it has said relative to this 
subject. 

The internal warfare of the Christian, as a gen- 
eral truth, is distinctly presented in Paul's epistle to 
the Galatians in these words : " For the flesh lusteth 
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and 
these are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye 
cannot do the things that ye would. " Flesh and 
spirit do not mean the same as the body and soul of 
the Christian ; but rather two active principles be- 
longing to his soul, both of which are there at one and 
the same time. Each presents an obstacle to the full 
gratification of its antagonist. But since it is the 
earnest desire of Christians, as such, to become per- 
fectly holy, when the apostle tells them they cannot 
do the things they would, he intends to apprise them 
of that moral impediment thrown in their way by 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 79 

the lustings of the flesh, to prevent their reaching 
that degree of sanctification to which they aspire. 
This passage evidently supposes that the difficulty to 
which the apostle refers, is confined to neither place 
nor time. It is proper to consider it as a description 
of every regenerated man, let him live wherever and 
whenever he may : I say of every regenerated man ; 
for none but such have both these contending prin- 
ciples within them. The unregenerate are all flesh 
and no spirit. They may have some conflict be- 
tween flesh and conscience ; but none between the 
flesh and the spirit. 

In the passage which we have now been looking 
at, w r e see the Christian warfare (in the home depart- 
ment) briefly described. The two antagonistic prin- 
ciples are both named ; their activity and contrariety 
to each other are stated, and the moral impossibility 
thence arising of Christians becoming at present 
what they wish to be, that is, sinless characters. 
Now was it not desirable, that this miniature of the 
Christian's hidden warfare with the evils of his own 
heart, should be somewhat expanded ; and that it 
should be given to us in the more impressive form of 
an experience, narrated by one well acquainted with 
the conflict ? And who was there among the apos- 
tles or inspired writers more fit to occupy this place, 
and perform this work, than such a one as Paul the 
aged ? If the apostle, in any part of his Christian 
life, had an experimental knowledge of the internal 
part of the holy war, it is reasonable to believe that, 
in writing so much to the churches, he would some- 
where allude to it. If he has alluded to it at all, has he 



80 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

not done it in the seventh chapter of his epistle to 
the Romans? In this chapter he seems to give us 
an epitome of his experimental religion, from its com- 
mencement until the time when he wrote his epistle. 
It is worthy of notice, that in this chapter his object 
is to give us a view of his religion in its internal ex- 
ercises^ rather than in its external manifestations. I 
think he clearly narrates his conviction, his conver- 
sion, and his subsequent conflict with sin. Now 
all, except those who believe in the simultaneousness 
of regeneration and perfect sanctification, must ac- 
knowledge that these three things, namely, a deep 
conviction of sin by the coming of the law — such a 
change of character as is implied in becoming dead 
to the law, (as to any dependence on its power to 
save,) accompanied with an admiration of it as a holy 
rule — and this, followed by a whole life of vigorous 
conflict with remaining depravity, — constitute a sound 
and scriptural experience. Had such an experience 
been connected with the name of almost any other 
Bible saint, I am inclined to think there would not 
have been such an effort made to prove it to be a de- 
scription of mere unregenerate exercises. Paul, by 
a kind of common consent, has been placed in the 
first rank of redeemed sinners. They therefore who 
believe that some of the saints do in this life arrive 
at sinless perfection, naturally look to him for the 
most illustrious example which the Scriptures can 
furnish of the truth of their doctrine. But if the sev- 
enth chapter of Romans is the apostle's Christian 
experience, it must be difficult to prove that he ever 
became a sinless character so long as he tabernacled 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 81 

in the flesh. This compels them to interpret what 
has there been considered as a conflict in his renewed 
mind, to be a conflict which existed at an earlier date, 
while his mind was yet in its unrenewed state. 

If there is such a thing as a struggle in the heart 
of the believer between nature and grace, (and such 
a struggle there must be until grace has the sole do- 
minion,) it would seem, that what is described in the 
passage under consideration must be the very thing. 
But at the outset we meet with this objection : u It 
cannot be that the conflict, which the apostle de- 
scribes, is that which is between nature and grace, 
because it would suppose grace to be always foiled 
and nature uniformly the victor." To this it may be 
replied : The difficulty is removed by taking into 
view the thing which grace, or the sanctified part of 
the soul, is reaching after, and constantly struggling 
to obtain, namely, a complete deliverance from sin. 
In regard to this desirable object, it is true that the 
flesh, during the present life, is uniformly successful 
to such a degree as to prevent its accomplishment ; 
while at the same time grace is continually getting 
advantage of the flesh, and bringing it more and 
more into subjection. And even before the conflict 
ends, the gracious nature looks forward to a day 
when its victory will be complete. 

Again, it is objected, that this cannot be the 
apostle's Christian experience, since it would not 
agree with the account which he gives of his un- 
blamable character in other parts of his epistles. To 
the Thessalonians he writes thas: "Ye are wit- 
nesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and 



82 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that 
believe." To this it may be replied, that such dif- 
ferent representations of one's character are not con- 
tradictory. David said, " I am holy ;" and yet he 
exclaimed, " Who can understand his errors ? cleanse 
thou me from secret faults." John Newton, in a 
letter to a friend, says, " The Lord supports me, yea, 
he owns me in my public work ; he graciously keeps 
me in my outward walk : these are unspeakable 
mercies ; though he appoints me a wearisome conflict 
with indwelling sin, still I ought to praise him." " I 
hope," said Brainerd, "the Lord gave me some true 
sense of divine things this day ; but alas, how great 
and pressing are the remains of indwelling cor- 
ruptions !" 

The Christian, through grace, has a new nature ; 
and it is very beautiful : but, until his sanctification 
becomes complete, he has also an old nature ; and it 
is very deformed and loathsome. It is, moreover, an 
undoubted truth, that the more he has of the new 
nature, the more clearly does he discover the de- 
formity and loathsomeness of his old nature. If then 
Paul was a saint of the first magnitude, (as we all 
suppose,) and if he was at the same time but im- 
perfectly sanctified, (as many of us fully believe,) he 
was eminently the man to give us, in his own expe- 
rience, a description of that warfare of the spirit 
against the flesh, in which every new-born soul is 
engaged. 

Having obviated an objection or two which were 
thrown in our way, I am now ready to state reasons, 
which have been sufficient to satisfy my own mind, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 83 

that the seventh of Romans describes a conflict 
which existed in the mind of the apostle after, rather 
than before his conversion. 

1. Previously to his entering on the description of 
the conflict in question, he informs us of an entire 
moral revolution that his mind had undergone. In 
the ninth verse of this chapter he gives a brief ac- 
count of what I think, must be his transition from 
nature to grace. He says, "I was alive without the 
law once :" that is, ' I v/as ignorant both of my en- 
tirely sinful character and my state of condemnation ; 
Which ignorance I now impute to my totally wrong 
views of God's law and to my natural love of sin.' 
;; But when the commandment came, sin revived,* 5 — 
: when God by his Spirit made me acquainted with 
the spirituality of his law, the entire sinfulness of my 
heart was disclosed, and now, all those hopes ol 
heaven, which were based on my own good deserts, 
were destroyed,' — ;i I died." His dying is manifestly 
put in contrast with his having been alive. It must 
therefore comprehend in it a moral renovation ; being 
a death which had ended in life. This makes it 
parallel with Gal. 2 : 20 : " I am crucified with Christ ; 
nevertheless I live." As evidence that the change 
which he had described was real and fundamental, 
he informs us how completely altered were his views 
and feelings in relation to the law of God. He now 
saw that, although the law was ordained unto life, it 
could secure the happiness of no subject of divine 
government who did not render to it a sinless obedi- 
ence. He seems to express an entire approbation of 
the law, in all its strictness, as being, holy, just, and 



84 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

good. I now ask, Are not such feelings towards the 
law of God satisfactory evidence of a genuine work 
of the Holy Spirit ? 

2. It is a circumstance worthy to be noticed that, 
in the description which the apostle gives of his con- 
flict, he speaks uniformly in the present tense, whereas 
he had just before used the preterit tenses. In giving 
an account of his unawakened state, his legal con- 
victions, and that consequent death which broke him 
off from his dependence on the law for life, he speaks 
of his exercises in the past time. Had the subse- 
quent part of the chapter been nothing but his legal 
convictions protracted and expanded, it must have 
been altogether more natural that he should have 
continued to speak of them as of things which had 
been, but were now passed away. After passing the 
verse, in which we have supposed him to give us an 
account of his transition from death unto life, as soon 
as he has occasion to describe the exercises of his 
mind, as connected with the distinction of tense, he 
adopts the present, and uses it through the remaining 
part of the chapter. 

3. If that cardinal doctrine of an orthodox creed, 
namely, the total depravity of unrenewed nature, is 
true, it furnishes a strong reason for believing that 
the warfare, which is described in this portion of 
Scripture, is the warfare of a saint, and not of a sin- 
ner. Can a sinner, unrecovered from his spiritual 
bondage, say in truth concerning sin, that he does 
not allow it, — that he hates it, — that he would not do 
it ? Does such a one pant for deliverance from sin, 
and already give thanks to God for that deliverance 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 85 

from it which is through Jesus Christ ? Can any 
unrenewed man, in whatever state of alarm his mind 
may be, say, and that truly, I consent unto the law 
that is good, — I delight in the law, — and with the 
mind I myself serve the law of God ? Should he 
make this representation of himself, while he is under 
awakenings, will he, after his conversion, adhere to 
it, and still give this favorable account of his unre- 
generate character ? Would such a thorough and 
orthodox convert as Paul do it % What if a heathen 
philosopher, or a Pelagian heretic, give such a repre- 
sentation of the good feelings and desires of the na- 
tural man, does it follow that an inspired apostle, on 
whose writings the church is to depend for sound 
doctrine to the end of the world, would give such a 
flattering description of the unrenewed heart, where, 
according to the testimony of the Omniscient God, 
every imagination of the thoughts is only evil con- 
tinually 1 

4. If this conflict had not been subsequent to the 
apostle's conversion, there could not have been the 
least propriety in his saying concerning that which 
he did amiss, " It is no more / that do it, but sin that 
dwelleth in me." In the regenerated man there are 
two distinct moral natures ; so that what is pleasing 
to one is displeasing to the other. When therefore 
the apostle was speaking of himself as the Christian, 
the renovated character, he says, and that truly, I 
hate sin — I disallow it: it is not I, the renovated, the 
Christianized man, that do this evil thing, or have 
these evil affections. But would there be the least 
propriety for a man, whose heart is totally sinful, to 
9 



£6 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

say concerning any sinful act he had done, or sinful 
thought he had indulged, It is not I, but sin that 
dwelleth in me ? In such a man there is but one 
moral nature, one class of affections and volitions, 
and these are all on the side of sin. 

5. The parenthesis, which is found in the 18th 
verse, furnishes an argument to prove, that the con- 
flict which the apostle was describing, did not take 
place while he was yet in his sins. Had he been de- 
scribing himself as a sinner entire, why did he not 
say, without any restriction, I know that in me dwell- 
eth no good thing ? Why did he, after saying " In 
me," throw in this explanatory parenthesis, " that is, 
in my flesh" before he added, " dwelleth no good 
thing V • If he was describing any conflict which he had 
before he was created anew in Christ Jesus, he must 
have been at that very time, in a moral sense, nothing 
but flesh. But if we understand the apostle as de- 
scribing a warfare which was subsequent to his con- 
version, then we discover a good reason for his making 
a break in the sentence by introducing this explana- 
tory parenthesis: for, while he was expressing the 
fullest conviction of the entireness of his depravity 
as a fallen creature, he was not disposed to deny the 
fact, that, as the fruit of divine grace, there was now 
some good thing in him. 

6. The inward man, which is here spoken of, 
proves the seat of the conflict to be the heart of the 
saint — not of the sinner. The sinner, as well as the 
saint, has a soul in distinction from his body ; but, in 
the apostle's sense of the phrase, he has no inward 
man. I think it is evident, that by inward man he 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 87 

intends the new, in distinction from the old man : and 
this is found in none of the children of Adam, except 
such as are born of God. When the apostle prays 
for the Ephesian saints, that God would grant them 
according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened 
with might by his Spirit in the inner, which is the 
same as the inward man, it is not a prayer for the 
expansion of their intellect, but for the sanctification 
of their heart. So when he comforts the saints at 
Corinth by saying, " Though our outward man per- 
ish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day," he 
manifestly refers to the improvement of their reno- 
vated character. This is well expressed by the daily 
renewal of their inward man. When he says, as in 
the passage now under consideration, u I delight in 
the law of God after the inward man," it would be 
perfectly unnatural to suppose that by the inward 
man he meant the soul, as distinguished from the 
body; for without the rational soul in man there 
could be no such thing as delight in the law, or aver- 
sion to it. But the apostle evidently puts the inward 
man in contrast with something else in him which 
did not delight in the law of God. At the close of 
the chapter, this contrasted thing is distinctly brought 
before us ; and is there denominated the flesh, and 
the inward man is called the mind. He says, " So 
then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God ; 
but with the flesh the law of sin." 

7. If this be not the Christian conflict, I see not 
how he, who is engaged in it, can be sure of an ulti- 
mate victory. Is there any promised connection be- 
tween mere legal conviction and eternal salvation ? 



88 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

And is it not dangerous to the salvation of the con- 
victed sinner, to apply the promises to his selfish ef- 
forts, while all the rebellion of his heart remains un- 
subdued ? Yet if the conflict, described in the sev- 
enth of Romans, is that of an awakened unregene- 
rate man, it teaches us that such a man may know, 
even before his conversion, that his salvation is sure. 
But let this be considered as the warfare of the en- 
listed soldier of the cross, and it all becomes intelli- 
gible ; for to such a one victory is secured by promise, 
even from the very commencement of the war. There- 
fore while he is yet on the field of battle, having to 
contend with foes without and foes within, he is au- 
thorized to exclaim, " / thank God through Jesus 
Christ our Lord — I thank him for that final and com- 
plete deliverance which he has promised to all who 
fight the good fight of faith." 

8. It tends to confirm my belief that the conflict in 
question was that which succeeded the apostle's 
translation into the kingdom of Christ, because that, 
when it is thus understood, it harmonizes with other 
representations which he makes of his imperfect 
sanctification ; particularly with those representa- 
tions which we find in the third chapter of his epistle 
to the Philippians. In that chapter he expresses the 
most earnest desires to attain to a state of entire per- 
fection ; accompanied with a humble confession of 
his short comings. No one can read that chapter in 
connection with the one which contains an account 
of the conflict we are now considering, without per- 
ceiving that the apostle to the Romans, and the apos- 
tle to the Philippians, had not only the same name. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 89 

but the same striking features of character ; showing 
him to be a good soldier of Christ, intent on vanquish- 
ing every foe of his King, and at the same time 
deeply conscious that the rebellion of his own heart 
was not yet wholly subdued. 

9. The view we have taken of this subject seems 
to be sustained by this argument : That, in supposing 
Paul's conflict, in the seventh of Romans, to be in- 
tended to acquaint us with that struggle betwixt holi- 
ness and sin which existed in his renovated mind, it 
makes his own experience perfectly to coincide with 
the description he gives, in the fifth of Galatians, of 
the Christian conflict in general : where he says, 
41 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit 
against the flesh," &c. But as I have in another 
place remarked on this general description of the 
Christian conflict, I now merely allude to the passage, 
as furnishing no inconsiderable proof that our views 
of the seventh of Romans are correct. If the apostle 
has described the Christian as one who has within 
himself two antagonistic principles, flesh and spirit, 
and these in perpetual conflict with each other, is it 
not natural to believe that such an inward strife as 
that which he has depicted in the seventh of Ro- 
mans, should be intended for a particular illustration 
of that very conflict ? 

Lastly. Although we do not know (as God knows) 
who are true Christians, yet we do know that there 
have been a multitude among those that have ex- 
hibited the most satisfactory evidence of love to 
Christ, in different periods of the church, in different 
parts of the world, and belonging to different denomi- 
9* 



90 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

nations of Christians, who have all united in telling 
us of inward conflicts, similar to those of which Paul 
speaks in the chapter before us. Now when ail the 
other reasons which have been given, for believing 
that the conflict which he describes was subsequent 
to his conversion, are backed by this, That the best 
Christians, whom the world has known in these later 
ages, have been deeply sensible of a similar struggle in 
their own breasts, during their earthly pilgrimage, 
it becomes a reason which must and will have weight 
on the minds of those who are searching after the 
truth. If we have not questioned the piety of these 
later saints, either as to its genuineness or eminency, 
on account of their many groanings under a body of 
death which they could not throw off, it will not seem 
incredible to us, that such an eminent saint as Paul 
should have had through life such inward trials as 
those which he recounts in the passage we have been 
considering. 

Now if we have shown from the Scriptures that 
the Christian conflict, even that part of it which is 
carried on between the flesh and the spirit, is common 
to all the militant church, and that the chiefest of 
the apostles was not exempted from bearing his part 
in it so long as he remained below, we have thereby 
furnished a convincing argument to establish the 
point, that Christians in this life are never made free 
from moral imperfection. 

XII. The pointed condemnation of those who claim 
to have risen above sinful imperfection, is decisive 
proof that the word of God considers no man as hav- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 91 

ing a right to make such a claim. If sinless charac- 
ters are to be found among the children of men, then 
a claim to rank with that class can of itself consti- 
tute no evidence against the man who makes it. It 
can amount to no proof that he is not what he claims 
to be, that is, a perfect saint; much less, that he is 
no saint at all. Had there been such a thing as a 
sinless character on earth, it would not have been 
consistent for Job to make the declaration he did, 
when he said, " If I say I am perfect, it shall prove 
me perverse." Job 9 : 20 If there had been a man 
in the world, at that period when Job lived, who could 
claim to be perfect, he was the man ; for the Lord 
had declared, "there is none like him in the earth, a 
perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and 
escheweth evil." In that sense in which God claimed 
perfection for him, he certainly would not have dis- 
claimed it. But as to perfection, in its completest 
sense, denoting an entire freedom from sin, he dis- 
claimed all pretension to it ; intimating that an op- 
posite conduct would have proved him to be nothing 
better than a hypocrite. From this I think we may 
reasonably infer, that on this subject Job had adopted 
the sentiment which was afterwards expressed by 
Solomon, namely, that there is not a just man upon 
earth that doeth good and sinneth not. 

It would seem that a claim to sinless perfection, 
had not ceased to be reckoned among the symptoms 
of a perverse heart in the days of the apostle John ; 
who, in the first chapter of his first epistle, makes 
this declaration : u If we say that we have no sin, we 
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." To 



92 LECTURES ON THE MOKAL 

deceive ourselves, and not to have the truth in us, 
are expressions which clearly describe a graceless 
condition. Such is declared to be the condition of 
those who say that they have no sin. But who are 
they that say this ? Not those who say that they 
never sinned, but those who assert that their sanctifi- 
cation is complete. It is not known that there have 
ever been any of the professed disciples of Christ 
who made the assertion, " We have never sinned :" 
but it is well known that there have been, in different 
periods of the church, quite a number, who lay claim 
to an entire freedom from sin, by the sanctifying 
power of the Holy Ghost. That this is the false 
claim which the apostle supposed some would make, 
may be learned from the natural import of the words 
which he uses ; and the history of the church is cal- 
culated to convince us that this is the evil which he 
designed to expose. There is a passage in the 30th 
chapter of the book of Proverbs, which seems to be 
of the same import with those two that we have 
already considered. I refer to the passage which 
says, " There is a generation that are pure in their 
own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes ! 
and their eyelids are lifted up." It seems reasonable 
to believe that the generation that are pure in their 
own eyes, while they are not washed from their filth- 
iness, are those who fancy themselves to be wash- 
ed from all their filthiness ; and the very circum- 
stance of their indulging this vain conceit, proves the 
fact that they have never been washed in the laver 
of regeneration. The same characters that fancy 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 93 

themselves clean, while they have never been wash- 
ed, seem to constitute the generation concerning 
whom it is said, "O how lofty are their eyes! and 
their eyelids are lifted up." What can evince a 
higher degree of pride and self-conceit, than for crea- 
tures to fancy themselves, in a moral sense, entirely 
clean, when they are in fact entirely filthy ? A claim 
to be pure in some degree, is no proof that we have 
not been washed in that fountain which is opened for 
sin and uncleanness ; but they who are pure in their 
own eyes, in the sense which is here condemned, 
show that they have never been to this sacred foun- 
tain for cleansing. 

The Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray, 
seems to have been immaculate in his own view 
He recounted his good deeds, but made no confession 
of sin. He had no mercy to implore. Did not our 
blessed Lord present this character to our view, for 
the purpose of warning us against self-ignorance and 
a high conceit of our spiritual attainments ? While 
the Pharisee thought himself a model of perfection, 
Christ holds him up to our view as a character 
wholly devoid of moral excellence. 

XIII. The contrast which the Scripture draws 
between the church in its militant and triumphant 
states, furnishes proof that in the first of these states 
its members are all sinfully imperfect. The church 
in its militant state on earth, in distinction from its 
triumphant state in heaven, is imperfect in two 
respects. 

1. It has graceless members which are wholly 



94 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

devoid of a principle of holiness. In heaven it will 
have but one class of members ; and these will all be 
such as are partakers of the heavenly calling. When 
the Bridegroom comes, the wise and foolish virgins 
will be separated. The unfruitful branches, which 
have a mere visible union with the Vine, will be 
taken away, and the branches which remain will all 
be of a fruitful character. At the marriage supper 
of the Lamb on earth, there are guests who are des- 
titute of the wedding garment; but at the marriage 
supper in heaven, no such guests will be admitted. 

2. The church on earth is imperfect as to the de- 
gree of sanctification which is attained by its ap- 
proved members ; whereas the sanctification of the 
church in heaven is complete. They who shall be 
accounted worthy to obtain a place in the church 
triumphant, though possessed of no different charac- 
ter from that which distinguished them from the un- 
godly in this world, will then display this amiable 
character to perfection. Here the flesh and the spirit 
keep up their conflict by continually lusting against 
each other; but there the flesh, being subdued, will 
never more lust against the spirit. Grace will reign 
without a rival forever. Do you ask, where is the 
proof that a difference, which is made by imperfect 
and perfect sanctification, exists between the church 
on earth and in heaven ? I would say, 

First. That this difference is analogous to that 
which is made by its having in the one state two 
distinct classes of members, and in the other but one. 
It is granted on all hands, that the church on earth 
is composed of regenerated and unregenerated mem- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 95 

bers ; but that in heaven it is composed wholly of 
those who are regenerated. It is also conceded by 
most of those who adopt the sentiment, that sinless 
perfection may be found in the church below, that it 
is by no means common to all its regenerated mem- 
bers. Now, if God suffers the regenerated members 
to remain imperfect in their sanctification for a while, 
is it not rational to believe that so long as he suffers 
the two classes of members to remain together in the 
church, he should also suffer the two natures — sin 
and holiness — to remain together in the hearts of his 
saints ? The sentiment, would be manifestly a dis- 
cordant one, which should suppose that in heaven, 
where the sinful members are all excluded, its holy 
members should still retain their sinful imperfection. 
Nor does it appear very rational to believe, while the 
church is in its earthly state, where the holy and un- 
holy members are mingled together, that there should 
be at the same time a separating line between its 
holy members, as great as that which is made by sin- 
less perfection and sinful imperfection. If that part 
of the family of Christ which is in heaven is free, 
not only from sinful members, but also from all sinful 
imperfection in its holy members ; and if that part of 
his family which is upon earth, is free from neither, 
(and this is a conceded point,) is it not reasonable to 
believe that, as soon as he sees fit to bring to per- 
fection any of his family on earth, he should remove 
them from earth to heaven, from a world of sin to a 
world of holiness 1 

Secondly. Leaving the argument derived from 
analogy, let us now repair more directly to the word 



96 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

of God. Here we find such a contrast between the 
church below and the church above, as will not per- 
mit us to consider the church below as perfect in any 
of its members. " That he might present it to him- 
self," said Paul, cc not having spot or wrinkle or any 
such thing." This implies, that in its present state 
the church has spots and wrinkles and many such 
things ; but when he shall present it in its perfected 
state, it will have nothing of this nature cleave to it 
any more. The thing intended by Christ's present- 
ing the church to himself, may be learned from a 
passage in the epistle of Jude : " Now unto him who 
is able to keep you from falling, and to present you 
faultless before the presence of his glory with ex- 
ceeding joy." The place where the church will be 
presented faultless will be heaven, u the presence of 
his glory." This implies that the same church, 
those very men and women, who here were faulty, 
will there be faultless. 

The contrast between saints on earth and saints in 
heaven, is placed before us in such a passage as that 
in the last chapter of Peter's first epistle: " But the 
God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal 
glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered 
awhile, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle 
you." This imports, that in this world believers are 
in a suffering, imperfect, unestablished, weak, unset- 
tled condition ; but that in heaven their condition will 
be quite reversed — their sufferings will be over ; they 
will become perfect, be established, strengthened and 
settled 3 without the least fluctuation any more for- 
ever. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. Llj 

What a contrast between the present and the fu- 
ture state of the saints is implied in this passage : 
" The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your 
feet shortly." The space between the militant and 
triumphant states of the church is short ; but the dif- 
ference between the two is great. Here they are ex- 
posed to be worried by the tempter, and to be drawn 
into sin ; but in heaven they are beyond the reach of 
his temptations : and w T ere it possible for him to ap- 
proach them, he would now find them, as he found 
their Savior, having nothing in them favorable to his 
diabolic designs. In the epistle to the Ephesians the 
saints on earth are compared to children, and those 
in heaven to such as have arrived to the stature of a 
perfect man. Before they come to maturity, some 
children grow faster, and are taller than others of the 
same age ; but none of them have reached their full 
stature. So on earth there are different statures 
among the saints, but none of them have come to 
maturity, none of them are men. In heaven they 
will still differ, as one star differs from another in lus- 
tre : but they will all be perfectly, though not equally 
luminous. 

In the 12th of Hebrews we are presented with a 
view of the heavenly Jerusalem, where there is an 
innumerable company of angels, and associated with 
them are " the spirits of just men made perfect." 
u The spirits of just men," are their souls, after be- 
ing released from their bodies ; as the spirits in prison, 
spoken of by Peter, are the souls of the wicked in 
hell. The expression, The spirits of just men made 
perfect , very naturally implies that perfection was not 
10 



98 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

predicable of them so long as they continued in their 
embodied state. It supposes their holy character to 
have commenced while the body was their taberna- 
cle, but that it was never made perfect, till the time 
came for them to put off this tabernacle. Here we 
see an entire contrast between saints on earth and in 
heaven. On earth the renovation of their spirits 
takes place, and progress in holiness is made ; but in 
heaven it appears in its perfect state. The passage 
we are now considering harmonizes with one which 
we have already considered under another head, 
namely, that relating to the path of the just which 
resembles the shining light, that shines more and 
more unto the perfect day. The perfect day doubt- 
less means the heavenly state, where the spirits of 
just men are made perfect. These passages not 
only show a contrast between the church on earth 
and the church in heaven, considered as a collective 
body ; but they plainly describe a contrast between 
the character of its just men, as that character ap- 
pears, first during their pilgrimage on earth, and then 
in their glorified state in heaven. 

If the contrast between the saints on earth and in 
heaven were not as great as between imperfect and 
perfect sanctification, I can see no reason why the 
Sanctifier should not be represented as finishing his 
work during this life, as well as at the close of it. 
But this is not the scriptural representation, as ap- 
pears in the following passage : " Being confident of 
this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work 
in you, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ." 
This passage supposes that the Spirit of God, when 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 99 

he has begun to transform a sinful into a holy crea- 
ture, will never abandon his work, but that he will 
ultimately bring it to perfection. It also supposes 
that the work of transformation, which he begins at 
the crisis of the new birth, he never finishes until the 
day of Jesus Christ. " The day of Jesus Christ," 
when applied to the church as a whole, is the day of 
Christ's appearing at the end of the world ; but in 
application to its individual members, it is the day 
when he comes to call them from their probationary 
to their fixed and enduring state. See Luke 12 : 40. 
Jam. 5 : 9. Revel. 16 : 15. 

" For I know whom I have believed," said Paul, 
"and am persuaded that he is able to keep that 
which I have committed to him against that dayP 
Not but that he would still need the Keeper of Israel 
to preserve him from apostacy,but he looked forward 
to a day, worthy to be distinguished by being called 
"that day," when the work of deliverance from sin, 
which had been going on for years, would be brought 
to a state of completion. Peter evidently had his eye 
on the same complete deliverance from sin, when he 
said concerning the subjects of grace, " who are 
kept by the power of God through faith unto salva- 
tion" — that is, unto a perfection of that salvation, that 
deliverance from sin, which was begun in them when 
they were first called out of darkness into God's mar- 
vellous light. In this view of matters, we can see 
that it is proper to stir up the minds of those who 
have been long in the school of Christ, by telling 
them, " Now is your salvation nearer than when ye 
believed." Salvation has a beginning, a progression. 



100 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

and a completion. The completion is what this pas- 
sage intends by their salvation. In this sense of the 
word, the salvation of believers is at the end of their 
pilgrimage ; and to that end they are continually ap- 
proaching. The contrast between their present and 
their future state is therefore as great as between 
salvation begun and salvation completed. 



LECTURE V. 



A RECAPITULATION OF THE SCRIPTURE ARGUMENTS 
WHICH SUSTAIN THE DOCTRINE OF IMPERFECTION; 
WITH CONCLUDING REMARKS. 

We have now taken a summary view of the Chris- 
tian character, as it is in a variety of ways placed 
before us in the holy Scriptures. And do not these 
various representations, when brought together, pro- 
duce a full conviction that the Christian charac- 
ter always falls short of sinless perfection 5 that im- 
perfect sanctiftcation is the highest attainment of the 
saints on earth ? We began by examining the argu- 
ments which are made use of by our theological an- 
tagonists to prove the opposite doctrine. And was it 
not shown that their arguments entirely fail of prov- 
ing the point for which they are adduced % We 
then proceeded to search the Scriptures, to see what 
were their representations concerning the character of 
■' the heirs of promise" during their minority on earth. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 101 

First, We looked at the biographical sketches of 
the saints, as they are noted in " the Scripture of 
truth," even ®f some of the best of those whose 
names are there recorded. We saw palpable evi- 
dence of imperfect sanctification in such men as 
Abraham, Moses, David, Hezekiah ; and even in 
such men as the apostles of the Lamb. Second- 
ly, In accordance with the unfavorable particulars 
found in these biographical sketches, we heard the 
Scripture make the broad assertion, that there is no 
man that sinneth not ; that there is not a just man 

upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not. 

In the next place, we took a view of some of the 
best among the excellent of the earth, and that in 
their nearest approaches to the God of holiness. In 
this situation we saw that they were uncommonly 
sensible of their great sinfulness in His sight ; not 
only of their past, but of their then present sinful- 
ness. We then took a view of those covenants 

of promise, the one of which was made between the 
Persons of the Trinity before the foundation of the 
world, in relation to the chosen seed ; and the other 
made with the elect themselves after their effect- 
ual calling. In the structure of both these covenants 
we perceived that the sinful imperfection of the sub- 
jects of grace, during their sojourn in this lower 

world, was contemplated as a fact. The next 

thing we noticed was the provision which God had 
made for the exercise of discipline in his church 
while it should remain on earth; rendering it the 
duty of his people to reprove the sin which they 
should see in their brethren, and to confess their 
10* 



102 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

faults one to another. — ■ — After noticing the dis- 
cipline that God had established for the purpose 
of purifying his church, we were ted to take no- 
tice of the discipline which he himself made use 
of for improving the character of his people. We 
saw that his object in afflicting them, was to take 
away their sin ; and since their afflictions were con- 
tinued to the end of their life, we were led to the con- 
clusion, that to the end of their life they needed their 

influence to purge away their dross. Next, we 

were led to contemplate those inculcations which 
relate to self-examination, as a duty requiring great 
thoroughness, to enable Christians to determine whe- 
ther they are in the faith. These inculcations seem 
to intimate that Christians have something in their 
hearts besides pure holiness, and that this creates a 
difficulty in forming a decision concerning the gen- 
uineness of their religion. We then examined 

some of the exhortations that the Scriptures address 
to those who are born of God; which exhortations 
manifestly imply their remaining depravity. We 
found the very best of them were exhorted to cleanse 
themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, 
perfecting holiness in the fear of God : and to lay 
aside every weight, and their easily besetting sin. 

In harmony with such exhortations, we found 

that the Christian character was described as pro- 
gressive, advancing from a seed to a plant or tree, 
and from the first dawn of light to the perfect day. 
We next took notice of such prayers as are pre- 
scribed for God's children, as being suited to their 
condition in this life : also, of many of those prayers 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 103 

they offered, which are recorded in the Scriptures ; 
and we found them to be adapted to the condition of 

saints whose sanctification is yet imperfect. We 

were then led to take a scriptural view of the Chris- 
tian warfare. We saw that the Christian's heart is 
represented as being emphatically the seat of the war, 
the place where the conflict, is the most severe and 
lasting. This led us to the conclusion, that though 
the old man is crucified, he is not yet dead and life- 
less. We also thought we could see in the word 

of God a pointed condemnation of all pretensions to 
a sinless purity, as though it proved such pretenders 
to be ignorant of their own hearts. — — And last of all, 
we took a view of the contrast which the Scriptures 
draw between the church on earth, and the church 
in heaven ; between the saint on earth, and the saint 
in heaven. And here we saw that the difference 
was as great as between a state of progress and that 
of full attainment — as great as between spirits par- 
tially cleansed, and spirits made perfect in holiness— 
as great as between a state of severe conflict, and 
one of eternal triumph. 

Now all these particulars, like the different notes 
in a good piece of music, harmonize. They all agree 
to support the doctrine of Christian imperfection ; but 
with the doctrine of sinless perfection they have no 
agreement. If a threefold cord is not easily broken, 
a manifold cord must be stronger still. 



104 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 



PRACTICAL REMARKS. 

1. If the saints are all sinfully imperfect in thislife r 
then as long as they live, their desert of punishment, 
instead of diminishing, is continually augmenting. 
Sin is a guilty, ill-deserving thing, whether commit- 
ted by fallen angels or fallen men, whether committed 
by sinners unregenerate or regenerate. And the 
sins committed by the latter have this aggravation, 
that they are a violation o^ some obligations which 
are peculiar. The saints, it is true, have something- 
in their character by which they radically differ from 
sinners — something which is exceedingly lovely. 
(Dan. 9: 23.) But just so far as they are yet un- 
sanctified, and of course sinful, they are unlovely : 
for sin is none the less hateful for being found in the 
same individual where holiness is also found. There 
is indeed no other sin in the universe^ if no greater in 
degree, which appears so vile to the child of God as 
that which he discovers in his own heart. If saints 
remain sinfully imperfect to the very end of life, their 
desert of hell is manifestly greater at the time when 
they are received up to glory, than at any antecedent 
period of their existence. This must be true, even if 
they have been growing in grace ever so constantly 
and rapidly from the time of their first espousals. 
They have been growing more meet for the inherit- 
ance of the saints in fight; and yet, by reason of 
their remaining sinfulness, they have more and more 
deserved to be cast into outer darkness. As the most 
perfect punctuality in the payment of new contracts 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 105 

would not cancel an old debt, so the return of a rebel 
to perfect loyalty and obedience, would not do away 
the guilt incurred by his rebellion ; much less would 
his return to an imperfect loyalty and obedience do it 
away. Under the mediatorial government of Jeho- 
vah, we are assured, that where there is a real change 
of character, where the rebel against his government 
has submitted, and yielded to the requisitions of the 
gospel, his salvation is secured. He is no longer 
considered as an heir of wrath, exposed to the pen- 
alty of the law, although it is true, that after this 
moral revolution, his ill-desert not only continues, but, 
by reason of remaining depravity and new trans- 
gressions, is greatly augmented. 

This view of the subject helps us to see why it is 
so common for dying saints to speak disparagingly of 
their whole life, and of what they have done in the 
service of God. In point of merit, they see it to be 
worse than nothing. Considered as the fruit of the 
Spirit, as evidential of their union to Him who is the 
Lord our righteousness, and as the means of further- 
ing his cause in the earth, they look back to their 
Christian life with some satisfaction : but when they 
place it beside the demands of the law and the exam- 
ple of Christ, they cry out, " If thou, Lord, shouldest 
mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand 1" 

2. With the subject relating to the moral imper- 
fection of Christians before us, it may be neither im- 
proper nor useless to raise the inquiry, Why does 
God never bring any of his children to a state of per- 
fect holiness in the present world ? In attempting to 
answer this inquiry, I would say, 



106 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

First. It is not because the thing is impossible ; 
for in heaven he will bring them all to such a state. 
Nor ought we to deem it beyond the power of God to 
form perfect characters on earth. Our first parents 
were for a while free from sin, though they lived 
upon earth, and tabernacled in bodies of clay. The 
Savior, clothed in flesh like ourselves, spent more 
than thirty years on earth without sin. 

Secondly. It is not because God does not prefer, 
in itself considered, the perfect to the partial sanctifi- 
cation of his children. " This," says the apostle, " is 
the will of God, even your sanctification." Nothing 
short of their perfect sanctification can render them 
perfectly pleasing in His sight, who is of purer eyes 
than to behold evi! or to look on iniquity. Every 
vestige of depravity in their hearts is displeasing to 
God ; but their advancement in the divine life he be- 
holds with great satisfaction. 

Thirdly. It is through no deficiency in the atone- 
ment that the saints do not become perfectly sanc- 
tified m the present life. The blood of Jesus Christ 
is able to cleanse from all sin, even in the present 
life, if God saw fit to make this application of it. 
Nor is it through any deficiency in the atonement 
that the elect are not called into the kingdom at an 
earlier period of life than they are. It was owing 
to no lack in the provision made for the salvation oi 
sinners, that Paul was not converted years earlier 
than he was. While on the part of Paul, it was a 
criminal thing that he was not actively promoting 
the cause of Christ at the very time when he was 
doing all he could to hinder it ; yet, on the part of 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 107 

God, it was not only right, but consummately wise, 
that he was suffered to remain in the ranks of the 
enemy until the very day that Jesus met him on his 
way to Damascus. 

When Christ informed his disciples that Lazarus 
was dead, he added, li And I am glad for your sakes 
that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe." 
If it was consistent with the perfect benevolence of 
Christ, that he should keep away from Bethany, 
until Lazarus was laid in his grave, was it not for 
the same reason consistent, that he should keep away 
from Paul, and suffer him to go all the lengths he 
did, before he interposed to turn his feet into the path 
of life 1 Do not the Scriptures lead us to believe 
that all the wrath of this persecutor was made to 
praise God, and that the remainder of his wrath was 
restrained? Ps. 76: 10. When we read the inte- 
resting narrative of Joseph and his brethren, Ave at- 
tach no blame to him for keeping them so long ig- 
norant of the fact that he was their brother ; because 
we clearly perceive that it was something quite dif- 
ferent from an unkind relentless spirit which prompted 
him to pursue this course. And certainly the Savior 
would not have delayed to make himself known to 
Saul the persecutor, if the interests of the church 
would have been better subserved by his earlier con- 
version. Now if we can see how it was consistent 
with that fullness of provision which Christ made by 
his death, and that unbounded benevolence which 
ever reigns in his heart, that he should so long delay 
to translate this chosen vessel from the power of dark- 
ness into his own kingdom, where is there any diffi- 



108 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

culty in seeing how it could be consistent both with 
the fulness of the provision he had made, and the 
fulness of benevolence which he possessed, that he 
should delay to effect the perfect sanctification of this 
servant, and indeed that of the whole company of 
believers, to a period subsequent to their conversion ; 
or that he should never effect it until the very close of 
their probationary state ? 

From the fulness of the provision made by the 
atonement, we can no more infer the perfect sanctifi- 
cation of the saints on earth, or the perfect sanctifi- 
cation of a single individual, than we can from the 
same premises prove the salvation of all men. In 
view of this ample provision, all men have the offer 
of salvation, and are laid under strong obligation to 
believe and be saved. But neither the offer of sal- 
vation nor the obligation we are under to embrace it 
are sufficient to produce that faith which will save 
the soul. Men never believe to the saving of the 
soul, until special grace interposes to cause them to 
yield a compliance with their obligations. It is doubt- 
less the duty of all saints (and of all sinners too) to 
be perfectly holy : but the saints will advance in ho- 
liness no faster than they are brought along by the 
effectual operations of the Divine Spirit. They will 
work out their salvation with fear and trembling ; but 
this working of theirs will be the effect of God's 
working in them both to will and to do of his good 
pleasure. If it is not the good pleasure of God to 
exert influence enough on the hearts of his saints, to 
raise them to a state of perfect holiness while they 
remain on earth, it is very certain they will not rise 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 109 

to that state. His determinations relative to this 
matter are to be learned from his word. And do not 
the considerations which have been presented in 
these Lectures, make it evident that he has deter- 
mined not to put forth that degree of influence which, 
as to perfection of character, will make his saints be- 
low equal to those above ? 

The question now returns, — Why has God deter- 
mined thus ? Why does he never raise any of his 
children to a state of perfect holiness in this world ? 
As a general answer to the question we are ready to 
say, without fear of mistake, it would not be wise for 
him to do it. There are many things that God has 
power to do which he never does ; and things which, 
by themselves considered, he would delight in doing, 
and yet he does them not; for he sees it would not 
be the part of wisdom to do them. He might do that 
which would increase the present good, both moral 
and natural, that is, the present holiness and happi- 
ness of the intellectual system, and yet this be inex- 
pedient to be done on account of its ultimate influence. 
The plans of the Infinite Mind are far-reaching, run- 
ning on through an endless duration. ; * Whatsoever 
God doeth it shall be forever :" its influence always 
reaches to eternity. His works are manifold; yet 
that is no more than a just acknowledgment which 
the Psalmist makes when he says, " In wisdom hast 
thou made them ally By saying concerning all 
God's works of creation and providence, that they 
are done in wisdom, is meant that they will all con- 
spire to make the most perfect display of the glory 
of God ; and that in doing this they will give exist- 
11 



110 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ence to a most perfect kingdom of loyal and happy 
subjects, whose loyalty and happiness shall be secured 
forever; thus constituting " a kingdom which can- 
not be moved." 

If it is certain that God has determined not to raise 
the church, while on earth, to a state of perfect holi- 
ness, we know that his glory will ultimately be better 
promoted by this than by a different arrangement; 
also, that the church, taking into view the whole du- 
ration of its existence, will be rendered a more per- 
fect and blessed society. We pretend not to be able 
to find out the Almighty unto perfection ; or to dis- 
cover all the reasons which have influenced his holy 
mind to fix upon that plan of operation which leaves 
his militant church in a state of moral imperfection : 
but I think it quite obvious, that it will have this one 
effect, to render the greatness and deep-rootedness of 
our depravity much more apparent than would have 
been done by a different arrangement. According 
to the present arrangement, the Christian, after 
spending days and years in striving against the sin 
of his nature, and seeking to eradicate it from his 
heart, finds that it is still there, that it is deep-rooted, 
and springing up as it were spontaneously on every 
occasion; he therefore cries out, " Who can under- 
stand his errors V Who can fully know the depths of 
wickedness which are in his own heart ? 

While we remain wholly under the power of sin. 
(and this we do until we know the grace of God in 
truth,) we are to a great degree ignorant of its vile 
nature and ill desert. But as soon as we come out 
from under its power, and commence a war with it. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. Ill 

we begin to discover its malignity ; and to the very 
end of this war our experimental knowledge of its 
malignity is constantly increasing. There is no 
other way in which this knowledge could be so well 
obtained. Experience is the best schoolmaster. That 
knowledge which is gained by experience, is of all 
others the most impressive and permanent in its in- 
fluence. The knowledge which the Christian is now 
acquiring, let it be remembered, is designed to exert 
a powerful influence on all his future existence, and 
that existence is to have no end. There can be no 
doubt that a great amount of moral means will be 
requisite to perpetuate and perfect the holiness and 
blessedness of an eternal state. And there is every 
reason to believe, that that most impressive knowledge 
of depravity r , which is acquired during our militant 
state, will exert a great and an abiding influence. 

(1.) It will exert this influence in promoting hu- 
mility. Pride is infinitely offensive to God. ? Every 
one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the 
Lord." " He knoweth the proud afar off." Pride 
unfitted the devil and his angels to remain in heaven : 
and if they were expelled from heaven on account of 
their pride, we may be assured that none of our race 
will be permitted to fill their vacant seats, until we 
become divested of this vile affection. " Blessed are 
the poor in spirit," said the Savior, " for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven." Their humility must rise to 
perfection, and remain so forever, to qualify them to 
be permanent inhabitants of the heavenly world. 
There can be no doubt that God has power to raise 
his saints to perfection at an earlier date than he 



112 LECTUKES ON THE MORAL 

does. But were he thus to exert his power, would 
he lay a foundation equally broad for the depth and 
permanence of their humble character? It is the 
nature of a sinful heart to inflate us ; this we know ; 
and yet there is nothing else which is the occasion of 
so much self-abasement. I believe there is no Chris- 
tian whose own experience will not help him to un- 
derstand what Erskine meant, in the Gospel Sonnets 3 
when he says, 

" Humility makes my pride to grow, 
And pride aspiring brings me low.'* 

We are informed that " Hezekiah humbled himself 
for the pride of his heart." David humbled himself 
for that pride of heart which stirred him up to number 
the people : and in view of all his other sins was he 
humbled in the dust ; especially in view of those 
which were subsequent to his adoption into the family 
of God. Now if there is no other way by which the 
redeemed of the Lord can obtain so clear and im- 
pressive a sight of the exceeding sinfulness of their 
natures, as by having their corruptions driven out 
by little and little, like the Canaanites from the holy 
land, then no other process is so well adapted to pre- 
pare them for the everlasting humility of the heavenly 
state. 

(2.) That increasing conviction of sin, which is 
the result of the Christian conflict, will render Christ 
more precious to his redeemed people through the 
ages of eternity. The more they become acquainted 
with themselves as self ruined sinners, the more they 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 113 

will prize Him whose name is called Jesus, because 
he came to save his people from their sins. The 
longer and more earnestly they have groaned under 
the burden of indwelling sin, the more precious will 
the Redeemer appear in their sight. It was in view 
of the Canaanites left in the land, after Jericho's 
walls had been thrown down — in other words, it was 
in view of the corruptions left in the heart, after its 
renovation by the Holy Ghost — that Paul exclaimed, 
" Who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" 
And this insupportable burden helped him to a 
sweeter discovery of the preciousness of his Re- 
deemer than he could otherwise have had. In view 
of prospective deliverance, he says, " I thank God 
through Jesus Christ our Lord." Had the apostle's 
sense of the weight and offensiveness of the body of 
death, which he was carrying about, been less clear 
and impressive, Christ would have appeared less 
precious in his eyes. Though the whole redeemed 
family will join heartily in giving thanks to God for 
the unspeakable gift of a Savior, they cannot all 
have an equally impressive sense of the magnitude 
of the gift. They will love most to whom most has 
been forgiven : or rather, they will love the most, 
who have the most impressive sense of the greatness 
of the debt which has been forgiven them. And 
those Christians whose convictions of sin have been 
the clearest and most constant, and whose struggles 
against it have been the most vigorous, will doubtless 
have the most impressive sense of the greatness of 
the debt. 
(3.) This increasing sense of the deep-rootedness 
11* 



114 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

of sin, which is learned by a protracted conflict with 
it, serves to prepare the redeemed to appreciate more 
highly the gift of the Holy Spirit. Unawakened 
sinners, when they resolve that hereafter they will 
become Christians, make their resolutions in depend- 
ence on their own strength. When they are brought 
under awakenings and convictions, they begin to see 
that the atonement for sin, which Christ's death has 
provided for them, is not the only thing they need to 
save them from the ruins of the fall. They now 
perceive that they are the subjects of a moral impo- 
tence, an entire and obstinate indisposition to come 
to the Savior for salvation. This prepares the way 
for them to see their need of the Spirit, to impart to 
them a holy character. Their conviction of depend- 
ence on the Spirit of God for holiness of character, 
is now much clearer than it was before ; yet even 
now it is very imperfect in comparison to what it will 
be after a long and painful conflict with indwelling 
sin. This enlarges and elevates their views of the 
power, grace and faithfulness of the Sanctifier. The 
Holy Spirit, in the character of the Sanctifier, ap- 
pears more than ever before to be pre-eminently the 
gift, which the death of Christ procured for the sinful 
sons of men. In comparison with this, they can see 
that all the riches of the earth would have been but 
a contemptible gift. To be made the temples of the 
Holy Ghost — to have Him take up his everlasting 
residence in them, to give perfection and stability to 
that renovated character which he has originated in 
their souls, and thus to perpetuate their union with 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 115 

the Redeemer, and their fellowship with the holy 
universe — what can be more glorious ! what can be 
more worthy of eternal thanksgiving and praise ! 

(4.) The divine arrangement which we have been 
contemplating cannot fail to have an influence on 
the ransomed of the Lord, in causing them more 
highly to prize and relish the holiness of heaven, 
than they would have done had their perfect sancti- 
fication been cotemporary with their new birth. Be- 
fore they were born of God they never were burdened 
with sin as a moral evil, as a transgression of the 
divine law. But after this merciful change, it be- 
comes their greatest burden. If then the work of 
sanctification had been completed in them as soon as 
it was commenced, their sense of the favor of an 
everlasting deliverance from all the defiling influence 
of sin, would have been comparatively feeble : but 
after they have been for years annoyed with the per- 
petual lustings of the flesh against the spirit, they 
must be prepared to appreciate the greatness of the 
mercy they have received in being made free, per- 
fectly and forever free, from the law of sin and death. 
After so many fluctuations, how will they prize a 
confirmation in holiness ! After such a long war 
with their internal foes, the corruptions of their own 
hearts, how grateful it must be to see them all sub- 
dued, accompanied with this assurance, that these 
enemies, which have given them so much molesta- 
tion during their earthly pilgrimage, they shall see 
again no more forever ! Sweet will be the heavenly 
rest to such wearied minds. That spiritual conflict, 
which results from the imperfect sanctification of be- 



116 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

lievers in this life, must exert a great and lasting in- 
fluence to increase their relish for the perfect holiness 
and tranquillity of the heavenly state. 

3. If sinful imperfection is common to the whole 
company of godly ones on earth, such imperfection 
cannot, of itself, constitute decisive evidence against 
the godly sincerity of any professor of religion. It 
is not unfrequently the case, that a single deviation 
from the right path is considered sufficient to prove 
one's profession to be hypocritical. But is it right to 
adopt a principle which would place Abraham and 
Moses and David, and other approved characters of 
the Bible, among the enemies of the Lord ? When 
those who turn away from the path of rectitude, 
turn back again, hold on their way, and become 
stronger and stronger, we have no right to pronounce 
them graceless men. When our fellow Christians, 
in their course of life, appear to have respect unto 
all God's commandments, we should not be ashamed 
to own- them as brethren, though it be evident that 
their obedience falls short of sinless perfection. Nor 
are we required to consider ourselves to be in a grace- 
less condition, merely because we discover in our 
hearts and lives something which is not as it should 
be. If it were made necessary in order to prove our 
religion to be genuine, that we discover nothing in 
our hearts but holy affections, and nothing in our 
lives but holy actions, it would be impossible for us 
to entertain a hope-— certainly, an assurance of hope 
—while we remain upon earth. But the thing re- 
quired to give us a hope, and even an assurance of 
hope, is not that we discover a perfection of holiness 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 117 

in our hearts, but that we discover its existence : and 
that we ascertain it to be true holiness, and not its 
counterfeit. 

While a perfect deliverance from sin must pre- 
clude the necessity of such a scrutinizing examina- 
tion of ourselves, as that which the Scriptures in- 
culcate ; yet if this inculcation be strictly regarded, 
something short of a perfect deliverance from sin 
may furnish us not only with a hope, but with an as- 
surance of hope. Since there is an infallible con- 
nection, according to the covenant of grace, between 
sanctification, in its incipient state, and its perma- 
nence and ultimate perfection, so far as we can be 
assured that the work, which is begun within us, is 
the true work of the Spirit, just so far we can be 
assured that we shall at length be redeemed from all 
our iniquities. If then we can be sure that the love 
of God which we possess, is that which is shed 
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost ; that the re- 
pentance which we exercise, is that which needeth 
not to be repented of; that our faith in Christ is that 
which worketh by love, purifieth the heart, and is pro- 
ductive of good works; that our love to the bre- 
thren, is complacency in holy characters ; that our 
love to our enemies is unfeigned benevolence ; and, 
in fine, that we have all the graces of the Spirit 
planted in our hearts ; then may we know that He 
that hath begun a good work in us will perform until 
the day of Jesus Christ. But since there are affec- 
tions of a contrary character remaining within us, 
the most scrutinizing self-examination needs to be 



118 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

kept up, lest some of us should think ourselves to be 
something when we are nothing. 

Lastly. Before quitting this subject, it may be pro- 
per to remark, that the sweetest acquiescence in 
God's arrangement relative to the present imperfec- 
tion of the saints, implies no complacence in sin, or 
indifference concerning sanctification. We may have 
a complacency in God's holy management of this 
unholy thing, without exercising the least compla- 
cency in sin itself. You may be pleased with God's 
plan in suffering Paul to remain a persecutor, until 
the day that the light of heaven struck him blind, 
and yet not be at all pleased with his persecuting 
malicious character. You may also be pleased with 
the divine arrangement which kept him, many years 
after his conversion, groaning under a body of spirit- 
ual death, without its implying any complacency in 
that indwelling sin which was the cause of his 
groans. Furthermore, you may sweetly acquiesce 
in the divine arrangement in relation to your own 
imperfect sanctification; and yet this acquiescence 
not originate from the want of a relish for holiness, or 
from any indifference towards that perfection which 
excludes sin. The less sin we have, and the nearer 
we approach the mark of perfection, the greater will 
be our acquiescence in this, as well as in all the 
other counsels of the all-wise God. Such acquies- 
cence has no tendency to check our efforts to grow 
in grace. 

" The Israel of God," when they shall have reached 
their heavenly rest, will doubtless derive much in- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS, 119 

struction from a review of the way wherein they 
have been led. They will be convinced that the 
trials of the way, not excepting those which were 
the result of their imperfect sanctification, were just 
what they needed, to prepare them to enjoy their 
eternal rest. They will see that, while on their part, 
it was highly culpable that their unbelief should ren- 
der it necessary for them to be kept so long from their 
promised inheritance, and be led through such a 
howling wilderness ; on the part of Jehovah, their 
God, it was all done in wisdom and faithfulness. 
They will see, that though 

"He led their march far wandering round, 
'Twas the right path to Canaan's ground." 

Probably no truth will be more clear to their enlarged 
and purified minds than this : that in those very 
things wherein they meant and did evil, God meant- 
it for good. Gen. 50 : 20. The saints in heaven will 
never have any more complacence in moral evil on 
account of the good which a God of holiness shall 
have educed from it. They will never think any 
better of themselves as the transgressors of a good 
law, from the circumstance, that God has made use 
of their unrighteousness to commend his righteous- 
ness, as well as to increase the humility and loveli- 
ness of their own renovated character. In view of 
their deliverance from sin and ruin, they will all be 
prepared to exclaim with heart-felt gratitude, " Not 
unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give 
glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. 55 



120 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

LECTURE VI. 

THE SPIRITUALITY AND EXTENT OF THE DIVINE LAW, 
For we know that the law is spiritual.- — Rom. 7: 14. 

The word of God is called the sword of the Spirit. 
It is also represented to be very sharp — sharper than 
any other sword 5 even sharper than any two-edged 
sword. It pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and 
of spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discern- 
er of the thoughts and intents of the heart. A metallic 
sword may destroy the life of a rebel, but it leaves 
the rebellion of his heart untouched. It may lay 
open to inspection the internal parts of the body ; but 
the sword of the Spirit does more than this, for it 
discloses the secrets of the soul. It is a discerner of 
the thoughts and intents of the heart It discovers 
to us not only all we ever did, but all that we ever 
thought; the motives by which we have been ac- 
tuated, and the character of these motives. 

The word of God is calculated to give pain to the 
unregenerate man— -the enemy of God — by showing 
him that his character is totally bad, and his condition 
very dangerous. It also continually administers re- 
proof to the subjects of grace for all that which 
remains in them that is hostile to the holy law of 
God. Since it is the sharpness of the Spirit's sword 
which causes it to give pain to depraved minds, it is 
no more than what might have been expected that 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 121 

this sword, when left in our keeping, would undergo 
material changes ; that it would have its point broken 
and its edge turned, to prevent, if possible, its piercing 
so deep as to expose all the secret wickedness of the 
heart. But since the very thing which renders the 
word superlatively valuable is its sharpness, its adap- 
tation to expose, condemn, and destroy every high 
thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of 
God, it is a duty which we owe, not only to the Au- 
thor of the inspired word, but to ourselves, to leave 
the point and edge of the Spirit's sword unblunted. 
Praying that God would not suffer me to blunt the 
sword of the Spirit, nor suffer you, my hearers, to 
wish me to do it. I proceed to an examination of the 
passage which I have selected for my text. •' For 
we know that the law is spiritual." 

What is meant by the law ? 

What by its being called spiritual ? 

How is its spirituality known ? 

A correct answer to these three inquiries will make 
us acquainted with the import of the text. 

I. What is meant by the law ? The law which is 
here described is of divine origin. Before the chap- 
ter closes it is more than once called " the law of 
God." God has other laws besides this. He has a 
law by which he governs a world of matter : but a 
world of minds requires a law of a very different na- 
ture to govern them. This is usually denominated a 
moral law 5 being designed for none but moral agents, 
that is, creatures who are capable of possessing a 
holy or sinful character, and are therefore accounta- 
12 ? 



122 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ble for their actions. Moral law, as distinguished 
from the law of attraction, and every other law of 
the natural world,- embraces all the duties which are 
imposed upon rational creatures, whether by revela- 
tion or the light of nature. In this large sense of 
moral law, those commands which are termed posi- 
tive, like the interdict which was placed on the tree 
of the knowledge of good and evil, are comprehended 
in the class of moral precepts. They are precepts 
which are given to moral agents, laying them under 
obligation of obedience to God. Though such a 
specific way of rendering obedience would not be 
obligatory, if not pointed out by a special precept, 
yet when pointed out, and thus made known to be the 
will of God, it is binding on the conscience. The 
precepts of the ceremonial law were obligatory until 
the coming of Christ; but under the Christian dis- 
pensation the obligation to regard them has ceased. 
The epithet moral, when applied to law, is most 
commonly used to distinguish those precepts that re- 
quire that which is in itself obligatory, from those 
precepts that require that which becomes a matter of 
obligation, merely because it is required. For an 
illustration of this distinction, I would say, that our 
first parents would have been under obligation to love 
God, without an express command requiring it ; but 
their obligation to refrain from eating of a particular 
tree in the garden, arose wholly from the express 
command of God requiring them to refrain from it 
Therefore the command to love God, in distinction 
from the command prohibiting the tree of the know- 
ledge of good and evil, belongs to that system of rules 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 123 

which is, in the fullest sense, denominated the moral 
law. Those commandments which the Lord delivered 
to Israel, first by an audible voice from the burning 
mount, and then by writing them with his own finger 
on two tables of stone, are commonly called the dec- 
alogue, a name which intimates their number to be 
ten. The decalogue, in distinction from that system 
of ceremonial precepts which was given to that peo- 
ple, is termed the moral law ; it being in as full force 
now as it was before the coming of Christ ; in as full 
force in relation to the Gentiles as to the Jews. The 
law which the apostle had his eye upon in this chap- 
ter, was neither the ceremonial nor political law of 
the Israelites ; but was evidently that law, a sum- 
mary of which is contained in the ten command- 
ments. Do you ask, how this can be determined ? 
I answer, 

First. In the context he quotes one of the precepts 
of the decalogue : " I had not known lust, except the 
law had said, Thou shalt not covet j" referring to the 
tenth commandment. 

Secondly. The law which he had his eye upon 
was quick and powerful, one which discovered the 
thoughts and intents of the heart. He says, " I had 
not known sin but by the law:" again, " I was alive 
without the law once ; but when the commandment 
came, sin revived, and I died ;" and again, u That 
sin by the commandment might become exceeding 
sinful." The ceremonial law, except as based on 
the moral, could have had no such power to discover 
to him the plague of his heart. It is that law which 
requires what is in itself right, and forbids what is 



124 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

in itself wrong, which gives to positive precepts all 
their strength. It was because Adam and Eve were 
under obligation to love their Maker, irrespective of 
an express command to do it, which made them feel 
guilty for disregarding the positive precept respect- 
ing the forbidden tree. 

Thirdly. When the apostle wrote this letter to the 
church of Rome, all the laws which Jehovah had 
given to Israel, except the moral law, had lost their 
binding nature. Their civil laws were vacated by 
their being brought under the Roman yoke ; and their 
ceremonial, by that change of dispensation which was 
consequent on the death, resurrection, and ascension 
of Christ. In his letter to the church at Colosse, 
Paul himself speaks of the handwriting of ordinances 
as being blotted out and taken out of the way, by its 
being nailed to the cross. 

I conclude that nothing further needs to be said 
to convince you, my brethren, that by law in the text is 
intended the law of God^ that law of His which is de- 
signed to regulate the conduct of his intelligent crea- 
tures, and which he has mercifully made known to 
the sons of men in the Holy Scriptures ; and that it 
more particularly intends that system of rules which, 
in distinction from the political and ceremonial sys- 
tems, is denominated the moral laid. This is un- 
doubtedly the .law which the apostle declares to be 
spiritual. This leads me to inquire, 

II. What is meant by its being called spiritual ? 
The same, I would say, which is meant in the twelfth 
verse by its being called holy. It is called spiritual, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 125 

to denote its agreement with the Holy Spirit, its 
agreement with the God of holiness. When Christ 
tells us that God is a Spirit, he appears to have in- 
tended something more than to inform us that he is 
an immaterial Being; for he adds, as an inference 
from what he had said, " And they that worship him, 
must worship him in spirit and in truth." This was 
as much as to say, that a Being who is not only 
spirit in his essence, but spiritual in his moral char- 
acter, must be worshiped in a spiritual or holy man- 
ner. The renewed man is contrasted with the unre- 
newed, by being called spiritual, while the other is said 
to be carnal. When Christ says, " The words that I 
speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life," he 
cannot mean that his words are spirit in the same 
sense that God is a spirit ; or in the same sense that 
he who is born of God is spiritual ; for words are 
not voluntary actors. They are, however, an index 
of the views and feelings of such actors. Those 
words which not only indicate a right state of heart 
in those who utter them, but which are also adapted 
to produce right affections in those who receive them, 
are properly denominated spirit and life, when con- 
trasted with words of a contrary character, whose 
tendency is to corrupt the hearers. In both these 
respects it is proper to speak of the law of God as 
spiritual: for, in the first place, it is a perfect index of 
his own heart. " There is none holy as the Lord." 
Nor is there any other law holy like His. And, in 
the second place, while it exhibits the holy character 
of the Lawgiver, it is adapted to promote holiness of 
character among the subjects of his government. If 
12* 



126 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

it is in the best possible manner adapted to honor God, 
and promote the holiness and blessedness of the mo- 
ral system, then it has a claim to be called a spiritual 
law. That it has such an adaptation there is not the 
least reason to doubt. To prepare your minds, my 
hearers, to form a proper conception of the spirituality 
of the law of God. you must be convinced, 

1. That he has a perfect right to make a law. Any 
one may give advice ; but it is the prerogative of the 
high God, both to establish law himself, and to dele- 
gate a degree of the power of legislation to the gov- 
ernments of men. His power to establish law is not 
delegated, but original. In the most unlimited de- 
gree does He possess the capabilities which are 
needed for the administration of government; and 
His right it is to reign, for the created universe is all 
his own. Intelligent creatures belong to God as 
much as any part of his works ; and since he has im- 
parted to them a susceptibility of discriminating be- 
tween good and evil, he has an undoubted right to 
establish moral government over them, and lay them 
under the obligations of law. They who concede to 
him the right to make such creatures, will hardly 
presume to question his right to rule over them after 
they are made. A universe of intelligent creatures, 
unrestrained by moral law, would present a more un- 
lovely picture than a universe of matter left to move 
at random, without being regulated by attraction and 
the other laws of the natural world. 

2. It is important we should know, that it is not 
merely because God has a right to reign, that he es- 
tablishes a government over his intelligent creatures ; 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 127 

his benevolent concern for them, if nothing else, 
would prompt him to do it. In the domestic circle, 
the good of the children, as well as the honor of the 
parent, calls for something more than advice ; and 
the best good of the creation, as well as the honor of 
the Creator, requires that he should do something 
more than advise his creatures what to do. Yes, my 
hearers, the best good of such creatures as we are, 
requires that our duty should be placed before us in 
the form of law. Advice, as well as law, places duty 
before us ; but it leaves us at our pleasure about do- 
ing it. Law consists of two parts : First, Of duty, 
made known by injunctions and prohibitions : Sec- 
ondly, Of sanctions, consisting of rewards and pen- 
alties, to enforce the observance of the duty made 
known. 

3. To understand the holy character of the law, it 
is necessary to know what it requires, and what it 
forbids: for it is not true concerning every thing 
which comes in the shape of law that it is holy. The 
Scriptures speak of a " throne of iniquity which 
frameth mischief by a law." Very different from this 
is the throne of God, and the law which he has framed. 
His law requires holiness and forbids sin. He com- 
prises all the precepts of his law in this one : "Be 
ye holy ; for I am holy ;" and all its prohibitions in 
forbidding his creatures to sin. " These things," said 
an apostle, " write I unto you that ye sin not." Again 
the same apostle says, " Whosoever committeth sin, 
transgresseth also the law ; for sin is a transgression 
of the law." 

4. To get a clearer view of the spirituality of the 



128 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

law we need to form correct sentiments concerning 
the nature of holiness and of sin — also, to know how 
much of the one is required, and how much of the 
other is forbidden. As to the nature of holiness and 
sin, it is evident they are moral opposites ; so that by 
understanding the nature of the one, we shall be 
helped to determine what must be the nature of the 
other. Let us seek to obtain, 

(1.) A definite idea of the nature of holiness. The 
Scriptures make use of this word to describe that 
quality of an intelligent being which is morally right, 
which will prevent the upbraidings of his own en- 
lightened conscience ; which renders him worthy of 
the complacence of other intelligences ; and which 
will incline him to be useful and not mischievous to 
his fellow-beings. Holiness is a moral quality of in- 
describable value, since it is the glory of intelligent 
beings ; and without beings of this description, the 
rest of the universe (could we form a conception of 
its existence) would be a blank. And devoid of ho- 
liness of character, intelligent beings are more un- 
lovely and noxious than the most deformed and 
poisonous among all the brutal tribes. The Scrip- 
ture speaks of u the beauty of holiness ;" and of all 
beauties this is by far the most attractive. This it is 
which constitutes u the beauty of the Lord," which 
David desired to dwell in the house of the Lord all 
the days of his life to behold. When any of our 
fallen race are recovered from the dominion of sin 
by sanctifying influence, " the beauty of the Lord our 
God is upon us." Holiness is the same affection of 
heart, not only in all creatures, such as angels and 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 129 

men ; but is the same in the Creator that it is in his 
creatures. When God says to his creatures, " Be ye 
holy ; for I am holy," he requires them to possess the 
same character which He himself possesses. 

It is important it should be understood that the 
seat of holiness is the heart. An external act is not 
holy, except it be the result of a right frame of heart. 
Without this, the greatest mental endowments and 
the most splendid performances do not raise their pos- 
sessor above a moral non-entity, and eventually they 
will profit him nothing. 1 Cor. 13 : 1-3. It is thepure 
in heart on whom Christ pronounces the blessing. 

If holiness has its seat in the heart, we need next 
to know, and that with precision, what that frame of 
heart is which the Scriptures denominate holiness. 
They speak of " true holiness ;" implying that there 
is something that receives the name of holiness, 
which is not true and genuine. David asked the 
Lord to renew a right spirit within him. In regard 
to the affections of the soul there is a right and a 
wrong. The law of God requires that the affections 
of the soul should be right. What these right affec- 
tions are, may be learned from those two brief com- 
mandments, on which, as the Savior declares, hang 
all the law and the prophets ; which is as much as to 
say, they contain the quintessence of the whole of 
God's word. The commandments are these : " Thou 
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the 
first and great commandment ; and the second is like 
unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 
By examining this summary we shall be greatly as- 



130 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

sisted in ascertaining the nature of true holiness, and 
the reason why the law which enjoins it is declared 
to be holy. In Christ's epitome of the law we find 
nothing local, nothing confining it to those who lived 
in Canaan, in distinction from those who lived in 
other parts of the earth: nor to the inhabitants of the 
earth, in distinction from other parts of the universe* 
It is noticeable that this epitome describes obedience 
to the law, merely as it exists in the heart, without 
stopping to tell us by what external actions it will be 
displayed. Indeed these must be somewhat varied 
in different conditions, and in different parts of the 
universe. In this abridgment of the law, the obedi- 
ence of the heart is all comprehended in that affec- 
tion which we call love. To this agree the words of 
the apostle, who says, when speaking of the duties 
of the second table, " For all the law is fulfilled in one 
word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
thyself." 

If we have found that love is the fulfilling of the 
law, our next inquiry should be, What is the nature 
of that love which fulfills the law ? It is manifest 
that it is something which differs widely from loving 
one's self, and loving others in subordination to this 
selfish object. The object of love which is placed 
before us, according to the Savior's interpretation of 
the law, is the intellectual universe — God and his ra- 
tional creatures : not excluding ourselves from the 
number. God, as infinitely the greatest and best 
Being, the Creator and Governor of the world, 
claims for himself the highest place in our affections : 
but he also claims a place for our fellow-creatures ; 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 131 

requiring that we should love them even as ourselves. 
I think it is clear, that an individual subject of divine 
government is not allowed to make more of himself 
and his own happiness, than he does of a world of 
fellow-creatures and their happiness. And does it, 
I would ask, allow him to make more of his own, than 
of the interest of any one fellow-creature who is every- 
way his equal 1 What can be intended by this pre- 
cept, Look not every man on his own things, but 
every man also on the things of others ? If my fel- 
low-creature possesses a better character than myself, 
I am required to esteem him even more than myself. 
See Rom. 12 : 10. Phil. 2 : 3, 4. There is a sense 
in which every man's interests, both for time and 
eternity, are placed by his Creator more directly un- 
der his own supervision than the interests of any 
other individual ; yet the law of God does not allow 
him to attend to his own interests from motives of 
a selfish character. If it did, it would allow that 
which is at the foundation of all the discord in the 
universe. 

To sum up in a word our descriptions of that holi- 
ness which the law of God enjoins on the subjects of 
moral government, I would say; It implies the exercise 
of the love of benevolence or good will towards the in- 
telligent universe, and the exercise of the love of com- 
placence or delight towards all such as possess a holy 
character, in whatever world they may exist. In order 
to the exercise of this love which is the fulfilling of 
the law, it is by no means necessary that we should 
be informed how many intelligent beings there are 
in the universe, to draw forth our benevolence, or 



132 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

how many holy characters there are that deserve our 
complacence. If our hearts were in such a frame as 
to be ready to embrace all the objects which present 
their claims to our benevolence and complacency, it 
would constitute that inward obedience which the 
law requires. Were all the subjects of moral govern- 
ment to possess this pure affection, to the extent of 
the divine requirement, it would have the effect to 
prevent all collision of interests, and bind together 
the whole family of beings in the most perfect union. 
The love which has power to do this, may well be 
called " the bond of perfectness." Col. 3: 14. 

I have said that the seat of holiness is the heart j 
I now say that true holiness will not remain pent up 
in the heart \ it will most certainly flow out. " Make 
the tree good and its fruit good." As a good tree 
will bring forth good fruit, so a good heart will 
prompt to good actions. Paul assures us that love 
worketh no ill to his neighbor ; and hence he infers 
that love is the fulfilling of the law. Herein appears 
the excellency of a holy heart, its tendency is to 
make a blameless life. Let the two brief com- 
mandments, which we have been considering, be 
written to perfection on the heart, the consequence 
would be that the ten commandments, of which they 
are an epitome, would to perfection appear in the 
life. We should serve no other God but the true 
God : We should neither make nor bow down to an 
image of any kind, even under pretence of thereby 
offering homage to the invisible God: We should 
never profane either the name or the day of the 
Lord : In the relation of children we should obey our 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 138 

parents : As belonging to a race clothed with bodies 
of flesh, we should offer no violence to the person of 
our neighbor, nor abuse to his wife or daughters; 
nor should we attempt to rob him of his property or 
reputation. In fine, were the law of love perfectly 
written on men's hearts, they would not so much as 
covet any thing that is their neighbor's. Moreover, 
that law of love which would prevent our offering an 
injury of any kind to our neighbor, would also pre- 
vent our injuring ourselves. It would cause us to 
live soberly as well as righteously and godly. It 
would prevent intemperance, gambling, vain and 
corrupting amusements, all misspense of precious 
time, and every degrading practice whereby a man 
wrongs his own soul. 

Having given you a brief description of the nature 
of holiness, both in its internal affections and external 
actions, I proceed, 

(2.) To describe sin. It is the opposite of holi- 
ness. It is the opposite of that love, which, when 
felt and acted out, is the fulfilling of the law. But is 
sin all made up of hatred ? has it no love in it ? Yes, 
sin as well as holiness has love in it. But the ultL 
mate object of regard in the two cases is very differ- 
ent. The one is disinterested, and the other is an 
interested ana selfish love. Supreme love to one's 
self is no part of obedience, but is the very thing in 
which consists the transgression of the law. Though 
the law, in requiring every man to love his neighbor 
as himself^ gives him a right to love himself as his 
neighbor ; yet that love, which a selfish creature ex- 
ercises towards himself, is very far from constituting 
13 



134 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

any part of obedience to the law of God. Sin sete 
up an object which it loves, but its object is infinitely 
less than the one which holiness seeks. They who 
come short of making the glory of God their chief 
end, make a chief end of their own glory. They who 
do not unite with a God of love, in seeking the good 
of the universe, fall infinitely below this object, and 
live only unto themselves. Creatures who are en- 
tirely selfish may love their fellow-creatures, and 
even their Creator, in subordination to their own 
happiness. They love such as they imagine love 
them, and assist them in the promotion of that selfish 
interest, which is always their ultimate end. When 
they consider their Maker as employing his great 
power to promote this darling object, they may feel 
the affection of love and gratitude towards Him. 

As a holy heart prompts to holy actions, so a sinful 
heart leads to sinful actions. But between these two 
cases, there is a difference which we do well to mark. 
While a holy obedient heart would never produce an 
external transgression of the law of God, a totally 
depraved heart may produce external obedience. 
Had there been no such case as this, the Savior 
would not have charged the Pharisees with making 
clean the outside of the cup and platter, while the 
inside remained filthy. That sin can ape holiness. 
we know : for it is said concerning the greatest sin- 
ner in the moral system, that he transforms himself 
into an angel of light. 

The next question is, How much holiness is re- 
quired, and how much sin is forbidden by the divine 
law ? Nothing I think can be plainer than this, that 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 135 

the law requires a perfection of holiness, and conse- 
quently forbids all sin. There is nothing short of 
this which will come up to the demands of the law. 
The text asserts that the law is spiritual, without in- 
timating that there is any thing in it of a contrary 
nature. Its spirituality appears, first, in its requiring 
true holiness ; and, next, in its requiring a perfect 
degree of it. When the infinite God commands his 
creatures to be holy, even as He himself is holy, we 
know that he does not require an infinitude of holi- 
ness ; but he does require a perfection of it, according 
to that New Testament injunction, u Be ye therefore 
perfect^ even as your Father in heaven is perfect." 
The heart is required to be full of holy love, both to 
God and men. The command, " Thou shalt love the 
Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind," re- 
quires that all the natural powers of the soul should 
be under the influence of holy love. Such perfec- 
tion of obedience is required, not only at one time, 
but at all times and under all circumstances. We 
are required to be in the fear of the Lord all the day 
long ; and not only to begin to do well, but to continue 
in well doing. The law requires that the glory of 
God should be made our ultimate end, not only in our 
religious services, but in the most common actions of 
life : " Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or what- 
ever ye do, do all to the glory of God." There are 
none of God's intelligent family whose holiness of 
character has exceeded his requirements ; and yet 
there are some whose character has been uniformly 
blameless, in the highest sense of the word. For an 
example of this look at the holy angels. Holiness, 



138 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

unmixed with sin, has characterized them from the 
day wherein they were created. And that unmixed 
holiness, which has been exemplified in them, God 
has required of all his rational creatures ; and such 
holiness he now requires. 

If perfect holiness is required, the inference is plain, 
that all sin is forbidden. But this is not learned 
merely by inference ; for the law is very explicit in 
its prohibitions, as well as in its requirements. It 
prohibits all sin, — in its root, and in all its ramifica- 
tions. Concerning the evil of sin it is always utter- 
ing this cry, c; Oh, do not this abominable thing that 
I hate!" — " Abhor that which is evil" — "Abstain 
from all appearance of evil." The law disallows all 
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; all intem- 
perance and lasciviousness ; all covetousness, whe- 
ther connected with dishonest or honest gains ; all 
profane and obscene talk, and even every idle word. 
It forbids sin in thought, as well as in its external 
acts. Christ taught us that the seventh command- 
ment could be transgressed by a mere thought of the 
heart. Solomon says, " The thoughts of the wicked 
are abomination to the Lord." David says in prayer 
to God, " I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I 
love;" plainly implying that he considered every vain 
thought which was originated in his heart, as being 
a transgression of God's law. 

As a further means of acquainting ourselves with 
the holiness of God's law, let us spend a moment in 
looking at the sanctions by which it is enforced. It 
is its sanctions, its penalties and rewards, which make 
a law to differ from mere advice. The penalty more 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 137 

especially is that which gives force to any enactment. 
But punishment, threatened to the disobedient, ne- 
cessarily implies a reward to the obedient. That loss 
of the favor of governmental protection, which is 
threatened to disobedience, clearly implies the con- 
tinuance of this favor where no disobedience occurs. 
But the promissory part of the divine law is not only 
learned by inference ; it is distinctly noticed by the 
apostle. He says, (i Moses describeth the righteous- 
ness which is of the law, That the man which doeth 
those things shall live by them." This imports, that 
entire obedience to the law would constitute a right- 
eousness sufficient to secure the favor of the Divine 
Lawgiver. And this is a favor of no small magni- 
tude. 

But on the other hand, the least disobedience incurs 
the penalty of the law. " The soul that sinneth, it shall 
die;" — not the soul that sinneth a certain number of 
times 5 but that sinneth at all. " It is written, Cursed 
is every one that continueth not in all things written 
in the book of the law to do them." Again it is writ- 
ten, " For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and 
yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he 
that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not 
kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou 
kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." By 
transgressing one of the commands of God, we deny 
that infinite authority which enjoins them all. His 
law is all of a piece. It may be compared to a cord 
extended between two points, which has power to 
sustain what you hang upon it, so long as it remains 
unbroken: but by means of a single break, it lets 
13* 



138 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

every thing hanging upon it fall to the ground. And 
here let me say, the law is a cord of such a nature 
that it can never be mended by him who has once 
broken it. As it is impossible that he should re-live 
that part of his existence wherein he transgressed, 
he can never make himself an innocent creature, that 
is, innocent in the eye of the law. 

Holiness is undoubtedly as lovely as sin is hateful ; 
but it is not as meritorious as sin is ill-deserving. 
Thus matters are viewed by the governments of men. 
That subject, who under any of the governments of 
earth is entirely loyal, that is, obedient to the laws of 
his government, is considered as doing nothing more 
than his duty. Should he be guilty of but one act 
of treason, he forfeits his life. Thus the law of the 
Supreme King holds out the promise of His favor to 
all who obey him ; and just so long as their obedience 
continues to be perfect : but the moment that rebel- 
lion against his government commences, his favor is 
withdrawn. And one thing which is included in the 
loss of God's favor, is a perpetual abandonment to 
■ sin, by the withdrawment of his Holy Spirit. Ac- 
cording to the structure of the divine law, it is made 
certain that he, who begins to transgress, will go on 
to transgress without ever ceasing, unless mercy 
shall interpose, through an atonement, to recover 
him from apostacy. 

Some may imagine that the. law would appear ho- 
lier, or at least more lovely, in case its penalties had 
been restricted to the present life, or to some limited 
period in the life to come. I grant that penalties, 
which transcend the demerit of transgression or the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 139 

necessities of government, detract from the excel- 
lency of a law. But there are crimes committed 
against human government, which call for as severe 
a penalty as it is in its power to inflict, even the death 
of the criminal. And should this punishment be com- 
muted for that of imprisonment, we should not hesi- 
tate to say, the honor of the law and the good of the 
community would require that the imprisonment 
should be during life, even if that life were to be 
protracted to an antediluvian period. Let us re- 
member, my hearers, that the Infinite Being, who 
made the law, is altogether more competent than we 
are to determine how great a penalty his law needs 
to give it the greatest possible energy and respect. 
And here I would ask, whether we ourselves are not 
able, from our own observation, to perceive the need 
of a penalty denouncing eternal death to the trans- 
gressor ? Have we not some proof before our eyes, 
that a penalty less severe would be inadequate 1 
We know that some of our fellow-men adopt the 
sentiment, that ail the threatenings of the divine law 
are restricted to the present life; while there is 
another class who suppose that the threatenings ex- 
tend beyond the present life, yet not to an endless 
duration. Now I have never known a man among 
those that have adopted either of these sentiments, 
who has been awed by the threatenings of the 
law, to such a degree as to prompt him to seek de- 
liverance from its penalty by regenerating grace. I 
am serious in declaring it to be my belief, that there 
are none of those that embrace either of these senti- 



140 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ments, so long as they entertain no suspicions of 
their soundness, who ever make an earnest and per- 
severing effort to become acquainted with experi- 
mental religion. Now, if this be a fact, (and if it be 
not a fact of universal application, I am persuaded 
there are but few exceptions to it,) does it not ex- 
hibit convincing proof, that God's law needs a pen- 
alty which threatens something more than a tempo- 
rary punishment ? Does not a penalty, denouncing 
eternal death to the transgressor, serve to show in 
what high estimation the law is held by the Law- 
giver himself? It shows that in his estimation it is 
worthy of infinite regard; and that its abrogation 
would be, not only dishonorable to Himself, but 
ruinous to the created universe. 

I would now remark that this divine law, which we 
have been contemplating as one which requires true 
holiness, and a perfection of it; and which forbids all 
sin, even in thought; and whose penalty is death 
eternal, remains unrepealed and unabated ; and so it 
will remain forever. The death of Christ in the 
capacity of a substitute for our apostate race, has 
given the most satisfactory proof that God has no 
pleasure in the death of the wicked, that he does not 
delight in giving pain to his creatures ; since it has 
opened a way for the eternal redemption of those 
who fall in with the mediatorial system of salvation r 
but it has not annulled the penalty of the law, nor 
in the least degree lowered down its requirements. 
Among the disciples of Christ, every thing in their 
character which is below the perfect requirements of 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 141 

the law, is still considered as sinful in the sight of 
God, and as that which calls for new exercises of 
repentance for sin, and faith in the Redeemer's 
righteousness. 



LECTURE VIE 



THE SUBJECT OF THE FOREGOING LECTURE CON- 
TINUED. 

For we know that the law is spiritual. — Rom. 7 : 14. 

This passage suggests these three inquiries : I. 
What is meant by the law ? II. What by its being 
called spiritual ? III. How is its spirituality known ? 
Having answered the first two, I come to the 

III. Inquiry, namely, How is the law known to be 
spiritual? " For we know that the law is spiritual." 
The apostle speaks of the spirituality or holiness of 
the law as a thing of notoriety, a thing which was 
well known, or might be known by all. Indeed we 
should suppose that nothing more would be necessary 
than a careful inspection of its injunctions and prohi- 
bitions, its promises and threatenings, to convince us 
of the holiness of its nature. It enjoins every thing 
which is right, in the affections of the heart, and in 
the actions of the outward man. It prohibits every 
thing which is wrong, whether in external conduct, 
or the frame of the mind. Its promises are all made 



142 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

to well doing, and its threats are pointed against 
nothing but what is evil in its nature and tendency. 
But besides that knowledge of its holy nature, which 
we obtain by looking at the law itself, there are other 
things which are well calculated to convince us that 
there can be no imperfection in it. Such as these : 

1st. We may know that the law is holy, even to 
perfection, by knowing that God is the Author of it. 
A God of infinite knowledge and holiness cannot 
make a law which shall favor sin. It must favor ho- 
liness, and that alone. Whatever tolerations there 
may have been in the civil code which he gave to 
the nation of Israel, it is certain that as Moral Gov- 
ernor of the universe, his law could be nothing short 
of a transcript of his own perfect character; accord- 
ing to that injunction, " Be ye holy ; for I am holy.' ? 
If God is love, if he is benevolent, he must lay us 
under obligation to possess a loving and benevolent 
heart. His long-suffering patience can bear with 
much sin ; but his law can admit of none. 

2dly. Jesus Christ not only displayed the spiritual- 
ity of the law in his teaching, but exemplified it in 
his sinless life. He said, " I delight to do thy will, O 
my God : yea, thy law is within my heart." In his 
human nature he rendered such a perfect obedience to 
the law, that he was not afraid to challenge his ene- 
mies to convict him of a single sin. But perfect as 
was the life of the Son of God, it did not exceed the 
perfection of his Father's law. If then we know that 
the Savior's heart and life were perfect, we know 
that the law, which was written on his heart, and 
regulated his life, was also perfect. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 143 

3dly. We cannot but know that the law of God 
must be holy to perfection, seeing the object intended 
to be accomplished by its enactment, is nothing less 
than to produce a perfect uninterrupted harmony 
among intelligent beings. No system of rules is suf- 
ficient to produce and preserve such harmony, unless 
its perfection be absolute. A law which should tol- 
erate the least defect of character would be incom- 
petent. If that love which the law enjoins, as being 
the sum of obedience to all its precepts, were of a 
selfish character, it would have no tendency to pro- 
duce a union among intelligent beings. Had the law 
tolerated the least degree of that love which makes 
one's self, instead of God, its centre, it would be in- 
sufficient to produce a perfect moral harmony. It 
must therefore be essential to that charity which is 
"the bond of perfectness," that she seekeih not her 
own. 

The law is so constructed as to make God the cen- 
tre of attraction to the moral system, around which 
all created intelligences are required to revolve. To 
every created intelligent it is commanded, Thou shalt 
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thou 
shalt love thy fellow-creature as thyself. From the 
intercessory prayer of Christ (John 17 : 21-23) we 
clearly perceive that harmony in the moral system is 
an object of supreme delight to the Triune God, 
What can be more gratifying to his benevolent heart, 
than to see his rational offspring in. perfect union 
with himself and with one another. Now it is the 
tendency of sin to disturb this union ; even the least 
degree of it, in whatever shape it may appear, has 



144 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

this tendency. The least degree of pride and selfish- 
ness is at war with the harmony of the moral sys- 
tem. Such affections, it is easy to see, would greatly 
diminish, the concord and blessedness of the heavenly 
society. We may know then for certainty, that the 
least degree of pride and selfishness are repugnant 
to God's law ; for the law must be as perfect in its 
nature as heaven itself; else the most entire subjec- 
tion to it would not make a heaven of blessedness. 
And let us, who still inhabit the earth, remember, 
that the Jaw requires of us the same perfection, the 
same entire freedom from moral evil, which it re- 
quires of the inhabitants of heaven. In the Lord's 
prayer, this is one of the petitions: " Thy will be 
done in earth as it is in heaven "—not only as really, 
but as perfectly. 

4thly. We know that the law is spiritual from 
this circumstance, that no unregenerate man, how- 
ever fair may be his exterior, is considered as yield- 
ing the least degree of subjection to it. " The car- 
nal mind," said the apostle, " is enmity against God ; 
for it is not subject' to the law of God, neither in- 
deed can be." There are men in unregeneracy 
who are quite moral, and, as to external perform- 
ances, there are some who are even religious; and 
yet from the passage before us we learn ? that there 
is not one of them who is in any degree subject to 
the law of God. This proves the entire depravity 
of all unrenewed men ; and, what is more to the point 
in hand, it clearly proves the perfect holiness of the 
law. If the law is such a holy thing that the unre- 
generate man never yieds to it any obedience at all, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 145 

then the regenerate man does not fully obey it, so 
long as the least vestige of sin remains, so long as 
selfishness dictates one of his actions. 

5thly. We know that the law is spiritual, that it 
is indeed a holy law, because the least defect of char- 
acter precludes all hope of divine favor, except it be 
by grace, wholly by grace. The law itself affords 
no protection to him who has transgressed at all. If 
the penalty of the law is incurred b}^ the least devi- 
ation from moral rectitude, it proves the law to be 
wholly on the side of that rectitude. It is evident 
that the law makes no provision for the relief of 
him who cannot say, with the strictest truth, " Nei- 
ther transgressed I at any time thy commandment." 
By adhering to this principle of his government, 
does not the Supreme Ruler very emphatically assert 
the unchanging perfection of the moral law? 

6thly. The children of God know that the law is 
spiritual by the influence which it exerts in discover- 
ing to them their remaining depravity, and driving 
them from all dependence on the law for justification. 
In the context the apostle makes the demand, " Is 
the law sin ?" He answers, " God forbid. Nay, I 
had not known sin but by the law." ( Now : if it is by 
the law that sin is detected and shown to be exceed- 
ing sinful, that is, exceedingly vile, the law itself 
must be holy, exceedingly holy. The more deeply 
the law is engraven on the table of the Christian's 
heart, the more clearly does he discover his remain- 
ing sinfulness. Now he sees that God's law not only 
requires purity of heart, but perfect, uninterrupted 
purity. Though his life may now, in a sense, be 
14 



146 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

blameless, he has nevertheless a deeper conviction of 
sin, and groans under its bondage more than when he 
was, in the completest sense, the servant of sin. This 
led the man after God's own heart to say, " Who 
can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from 
secret faults." 

There is no doubt that it was this discovery of the 
spirituality and extent of the law which led John 
Brown, of Haddington, a pious minister of the Church 
of Scotland, to say, " Though I have not been left to 
commit gross crimes, yet he (i. e. God) knows the 
outrageous wickedness of my heart, such wickedness 
as would have provoked any but a God of infinite 
love to cast me into hell." Samuel Rutherford, ano- 
ther Scottish divine, whose faithfulness in the cause 
of Christ had lodged him in a prison, after speaking 
of the soul-refreshing views he had of divine things, 
has these words : " But notwithstanding all, if my 
inside were seen, I would forfeit all love and respect 
from the lovers of Christ. His fair glory is but sul- 
lied and spoiled in coming through such a filthy and 
polluted creature as I am." Another and still more 
illustrious example of the influence of the law in dis- 
covering to a child of God his remaining depravity, 
we have in the case of Paul : for, whatever others 
may think of the remaining part of the verse from 
' which our text is taken, I am persuaded that it was 
the deep and affecting sense which the apostle had 
of his imperfect sanctification — his short-comings, 
in view of the infinite purity and obligations of 
the law, which led him, after saying, " We know that 
the law is spiritual," to make the confession, "but I 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 147 

am carnal, sold under sin." Though he was not 
carnal and the servant of sin, in the same sense that 
he was in his unregeneracy, he felt the bondage 
vastly more than he did then. There is perhaps no- 
thing else which gives the subjects of grace such an 
impressive and abiding conviction of the spirituality 
of the law, as the influence it exerts to keep them ac- 
quainted with the plague of their own heart. 

This is certain, that the more the work of sanctifi- 
cation progresses in the heart of the believer, the 
less he depends on the law for justification ; and this 
•constitutes an argument to establish the spirituality 
of the law. Why, it maybe asked, does the believer 
depend less on the law the more holiness he possesses ? 
An augmentation of holiness does at the same time 
increase a conviction of his own sinfulness, and of 
the spirituality and extent of the law. Thus through 
the law he becomes dead to the law, considered as a 
covenant of works. His prayer now is, " Enter not 
into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight shall 
no man living be justified." The utter impossibility 
of obtaining justification by our own obedience, shows 
the law to be immutably perfect and uncompromising 
in its character. " Do we make void the law through 
faith ? God forbid ; yea, we establish the law." 



APPLICATION. 

1. Let us make use of this subject to impress our 
minds with the solemn and interesting relation which 
it discovers to us, as existing between us and our 



148 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

Creator, namely, the relation of Ruler and subjects. 
As moral agents, we are under the government of 
God ; and we are always under it, wherever we are, 
and whatever we are doing. We are under His 
government, w T hether w^e acknowledge it or not. 
" Every one of us shall give account of himself to 
God f for He is " the Judge of all the earth." He 
requires that we should give him the heart ; and He 
will know whether we do it or not ; for He searches 
all hearts. Human governments can take cognizance 
of no transgression of their laws, except it be some 
overt act ; but God will bring every work into judg- 
ment with every secret thing. In some respects 
there is a near resemblance between us and the 
brutal tribes. We have, in common, the same cor- 
poreal senses. We grow and decay alike. But 
men, in distinction from brutes, are subjects of moral 
government. They are capable of knowing, loving, 
and obeying their Creator ; also, of hating him, and 
rebelling against his authority. They are capable 
of enjoying his smiles, and of feeling the weight of 
his wrath. 

Remember, fellow probationers, though you may 
despise your birthright, your privilege of belonging 
to the family of intelligent beings, and may sell this 
privilege for a mess of pottage ; yet you can never 
exchange your place in the creation for that of the 
beasts that perish. If you refuse to submit to the 
authority of the Supreme King, you will neverthe- 
less retain your place in the moral system ; but you 
will be degraded to the humiliating condition of 
criminals under his government* He will say of 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 149 

you, " But those mine enemies who would not that I 
should reign over them, bring hither and slay them 
before me." His subjects we must be, whether we 
consent or dissent. With which class of subjects 
shall we consort ? with the rebellious or the loyal ? 
Which is duty, which is the part of wisdom ? Will 
any of us dispute the right of the King Eternal to 
reign over us — to reign over all ? His law is holy, 
just, and good; and in keeping his commandments 
there is a great reward. Let us forthwith submit, if 
we have not already done it, to the claims of our 
rightful Sovereign. 

2. This subject seems calculated to strip us of all 
excuse for remaining ignorant of God's law, or of its 
spiritual character. With such means as are within 
our reach, it is not difficult for us to know that we 
are placed under a Divine law, and that this law is 
worthy of our supreme regard. Had we nothing 
but the light of nature to instruct us, to assist our in- 
tellect and conscience to apprehend the will of our 
Maker even in that case, disobedience to the moral 
law would be inexcusable : for the moral law is 
founded on the nature and fitness of things. But 
we, who from our childhood have known the Holy 
Scriptures, must be inexcusable indeed, if we are 
ignorant of the law of God. In the Holy Scriptures 
it is embodied in specific precepts and prohibitions, 
and in this form it is reduced to writing. The Ten 
Commandments constitute a summary of all moral 
obligation ; and this summary is registered not only 
in the sacred volume, but also in our memories, 
where it was written in our early childhood. Cir- 
14* 



150 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

eumstanced as we are, we cannot but know what the 
Lord our God requires of us. Nor can we help 
knowing that the things which he requires of us are 
most reasonable — such as he has a right to require, 
and such as we must ieel ourselves under obligation 
to reduce to practice. 

It is easy to see that the spirit of the Ten Com- 
mandments is contained in those two brief ones 
which the Savior gave us : one of which requires 
that we love the Lord our God with all the heart, 
and soul, and strength; and the other, that we love 
our neighbor as ourseif. It is perfectly evident that 
these two commandments prohibit all selfishness, and 
require disinterested love. They forbid us to be 
sinful, and require us to be holy. A mere inspection 
of the law, as it is spread out before us in the Bible, 
is enough to convince us that it is a perfectly holy 
system. But when, in addition to this, we know that 
it is the law of the Holy One ; that the sinless life of 
Christ was nothing more than an exemplification of 
its holiness; and that it was intended to lay the 
foundation of a perfect society state among intelli- 
gent beings ; when these and such like things are 
known as evidences of the spirituality of the law, 
are we not entirely without excuse if we are still in 
darkness 1 If under all these advantages we still 
remain in darkness, it must be because we love 
darkness rather than light : and such a preference 
amounts to full proof that our deeds are evil. 

3. In the light of this subject we may see how to 
account for the amazing insensibility of mankind, 
as to their need of the new birth, or of the benefit 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 151 

of Christ's atonement : it is owing to their ignorance 
of the spirituality of God's law. Paul tells us why 
he was once alive, when he was in reality nothing 
but a sinner, dead in trespasses and sins. It was he- 
cause he was then without the law, that is, without 
any proper conception of its spirituality. He says, 
" But when the commandment came, sin revived, 
and I died." Before this coming of the command- 
ment, he felt no need of the renewing of the Holy 
Ghost, nor of the Redeemer's righteousness. Even 
in this gospel land there are not a few who appear 
remarkably ignorant of the great purity and extent 
of God's law. They do not feel their need of a 
change of heart, though their heart is in no degree 
subject to the law of God. They speak of them- 
selves as having a good heart, although they make 
no pretension to an acquaintance with the new birth. 
As things are seen by the omniscient God, every 
imagination of the thoughts of their heart is only 
evil continually. Could men in this condition once 
understand the infinite purity of that law, which is 
the standard whereby characters are to be tried, 
they would be ashamed to talk of their good heart. 
They would see that they had never possessed one 
affection of heart which was in accordance with the 
law, nor ever been governed by a motive which 
reached as high as the glory of the Divine Law- 
giver. 

That ignorance of the holiness of the law, which 
keeps depraved creatures from seeing that they need 
a radical change of heart, keeps them also from see- 
ing their need of a Savior's righteousness. While 



152 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

they have never yielded the least degree of hearty 
and acceptable obedience to the law, they have such 
low and unworthy conceptions of this divine rule, as 
to fancy themselves to be just before God. With no 
better covering than a fig-leaf righteousness of their 
own fabrication, they flatter themselves that they 
shall be able to stand before their Judge in peace. 
They have heard of Christ; but they have never 
known him ; they have never felt their need of him ; 
therefore they are attempting to climb to heaven by 
some other way. Sinners, if you had your eyes 
opened to see the law as it is, you would perceive at 
once, that it is too holy to afford protection to the 
creature who has committed but one offence ; how 
then can you think of such a thing as being saved 
by the law of works, when you cannot produce a 
single work which the law will not condemn ? Could 
you become acquainted with the spirituality of the 
divine law, you would feel the force of that verse in 
the hymn: 

" In vain we ask God's righteous law 
To justify us now ; 
For to convince and to condemn 
Is all the law can do." 

4. In view of the subject before us, it maybe pro- 
per to inquire, whether it is not a misconception of 
the spirituality of the law, which has led some to 
imagine themselves to be sinlessly perfect. David 
did not think that he had attained to such perfection ; 
for he said, " Who can understand his errors ? cleanse 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 153 

thou me from secret faults." It would seem that 
Solomon did not think himself or any other man to 
be free from sinful imperfection ; for he said, " There 
is not a just man upon earth, who doeth good, and 
sinneth not." This sentiment is corroborated by the 
apostle James, who says, " In many things we all 
offend." Paul did not view himself to be a sinless 
man when he wrote his epistle to the Philippians, for 
he said, " Not as though I had already attained, 
either were already perfect." From the biographies 
of many later Christians, who have exhibited the 
most satisfactory evidence, both of the genuineness 
of their piety and of uncommon attainments in it, 
we learn that they were far from thinking them- 
selves perfect, even in the most advanced period of 
their lives. This brings to my mind a death-bed in- 
terview, which I had with a Christian brother of 
more than ordinary attainments, who had been in 
the school of Christ for half a century. A day or 
two before his death, while I was conversing with 
him relative to the state of his mind, which by his 
account was more tranquil and joyful than he had 
anticipated it would be at such a solemn crisis ; I 
put a question of this import to him, whether he 
thought he had now become perfectly holy ? He 
promptly replied, " almost entirely the reverse of 
that." 

But there is another class of Christians that give 
no more evidence of devotedness to the cause of 
Christ, and yet claim that they have attained to such 
perfection as to see nothing in themselves to con- 
demn or repent of. How, we ask, can this vast dif- 



154 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ference between these two classes of Christians be 
accounted for ? I answer, it may be accounted for 
by supposing that they entertain essentially different 
views of God's law. David said, " I have seen an 
end of all perfection ; but thy commandment is ex- 
ceeding broad." Paul said, " The law is holy — we 
know that the law is spiritual." The views which 
David and Paul entertained concerning the extent 
and spirituality of God's law were such as to keep 
them from thinking themselves to be sinless charac- 
ters. The same may doubtless be said of such men 
as Edwards, Brainerd, Brown and Scott, and a host 
of others of a like spirit. With the views which 
these men had of the holiness of the law, it was not 
possible they should think they had attained to a sin- 
less state. And is there not reason to believe, that 
the other class would never have thought of it, had 
they entertained the same correct views of the ex- 
tent and spirituality of the law ? 

It is not improbable that some have made a mis- 
take in this matter, by supposing that an external 
obedience satisfies the demands of the law of God, as 
it does the demands of human laws. They suppose 
that if we restrain the wickedness of the heart, so as 
to prevent its flowing out into filthy streams, we do 
not transgress the law. A greater mistake than this 
can hardly be made. It is true that a temptation 
which is presented to us by another, for instance, by 
the devil, does not become our sin, provided we yield 
no compliance with it, either external or internal. 
But all those affections of the heart which are of a 
selfish nature, in whatever way they may be excited. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 155 

constitute a transgression of the law, though sup- 
pressed ever so soon. If this class of Christians grant 
the necessity of internal, as well as external obedi- 
ence, to meet the demands of God's law, they may 
intend by it something essentially different from what 
is intended by their brethren. They may call those 
holy affections, which their brethren deplore as sinful. 
Perhaps they have considered all religious affections 
as right, without stopping to inquire what has excited 
them, whether it be the love of God, or the love of 
their own selves. Happy, joyful feelings of a reli- 
gious nature, have often been considered as synony- 
mous with holy feelings ; just as if selfishness could 
not reach beyond the boundary which separates the 
world of sense from the world of spirits. That it is 
quite possible for men to imagine themselves, not 
only to be holy characters, but to be great proficients 
in holiness, who have never risen a hair's breadth 
above entire selfishness, is rendered perfectly certain 
by the case of the Pharisees. They were supremely 
selfish : yet " they trusted in themselves that they 
were righteous, and despised others." 

The two classes of Christians, to which I have re- 
ferred, may be led to entertain such different views 
of their own character, not only by their having dif- 
ferent conceptions of God's law, but also by their 
having quite different conceptions of God himself. 
An idol, which is an unholy deity, can be served, 
even to perfection, without any holiness in the wor- 
shiper. And I ask whether it is not possible that 
we should worship an idol god — a creature formed 
by our own imagination — under the name Jehovah, 
or some other name or title of the true God ? 



156 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

5. It is in view of the spirituality of the Jaw that 
we discover the glory of Christ. Our subject has led 
us to contemplate the Great Eternal as establishing 
a moral government, which extends to all intelligent 
creatures, and is to endure through everlasting ages. 
We have seen that the law, by which he proposes to 
rule the intellectual system, is every way perfect : 
that it is calculated to honor the Creator and bless all 
obedient creatures. The maintenance of Divine 
government is supremely important : and this govern- 
ment is based on an infinitely perfect law ; which law 
has been disobeyed by the revolting angels and by 
the whole race of Adam. That the law cannot be 
revoked 5 nor be abated in the strictness of its re- 
quirements or the severity of its threatenings, without 
shaking the pillars of God's throne, and doing irre- 
trievable injury to the moral system, must appear 
perfectly evident to every reflecting mind. It would 
be better that the material heavens and earth should 
pass away than that one jot or tittle should pass from 
the law. Matt. 5 : 18. 

This prepares the way for us to see the glory of 
Christ. It is an excellency in his character, that 
he had compassion on our fallen race. It is also 
an excellency in his character, that his compas- 
sion for us did not induce him to head a revolt 
against the government of God : or prompt him to 
ask for a repeal of the broken law, or an abatement 
of its strictness, or for a removal of its dreadful pen- 
alty. In his first public sermon he made a proclama- 
tion, which he intended should be sounded through 
this revolted province of Jehovah's empire : " Think 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 157 

not that I am come to destroy the law — I am not 
come to destroy, but to fulfill." Yet, in perfect 
harmony with this proclamation, he repeatedly de- 
clared that he came to seek and save that which was 
lost. To not destroy the law, and yet save from de- 
struction the transgressors of it, was the very thing 
which brought him from heaven to earth. Herein is 
the glory of Christ displayed. He loved righteous- 
ness and hated wickedness. He loved the law and 
hated the transgression of it. Without such a cha- 
racter he would not be worthy to be called the Son 
of God. Nor would he be worthy of the respect and 
confidence of the children of men. But while he 
loved the law, and would have it on no consideration 
repealed, he felt a deep concern for those who had 
incurred its penalty. To combine these two objects, 
which had a seeming repugnance to each other, 
namely, the conferring of honor on the violated law, 
and saving those who had incurred its penalty, he 
allied himself to our nature, to put himself in a con- 
dition both to teach and obey the law, and then to 
give his innocent life a ransom for our guilty lives, — 
to suffer the just for the unjust to bring us unto 
God. 

This infinite regard to such a holy law, in connec- 
tion with a boundless compassion for guilty men, ren- 
ders the character of the Redeemer very attractive. 
It endears him to all those whom he redeems from 
iniquity "and purifies unto himself. As soon as the 
divine image is restored to their souls, they admire 
the Redeemer for the honor he did to the law which 
they now love ; and this admiration steadily increases 
15 



158 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

as the work of sanctification progresses. It is to the 
honor of Christ that he did not propose to his disci- 
ples some less perfect rule than his Father's law. 
He enjoined it on them to love the Lord their God 
with all their heart, and to love their neighbors as 
themselves. Though conscious of their own imper- 
fection, they admire the perfection of the rule and the 
perfection of Him, who not only prescribed it to 
them, but exemplified it by a life of unspotted holi- 
ness. This law-honoring, sin-condemning Savior is 
loved by all such as are washed from their sins in his 
blood. This is the Father's well beloved Son, and 
He whom all the angels of God admire and adore. 

Lastly. In the light of this subject, we can see 
what will constitute the uninterrupted harmony of 
the heavenly society. It will be a complete and uni- 
versal subjection to the perfect law of God. The 
Divine Trinity, in the persons of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, will display an infi- 
nite fullness of that love which is the substance of the 
law. The holy angels, who will compose a part of 
the heavenly society, have never transgressed this 
law during the whole period of their existence. Their 
capacious minds are completely under the influence 
of that love by which the law is fulfilled. As to the 
redeemed family of Christ, though the time was, 
when they were, every one of them, rebels against 
the government of God, and yielded no obedience at 
all to his holy law ; yet now their disaffection to 
divine government is all removed, and the law of 
love is so indelibly written in their hearts as never to 
be again obliterated. Every individual in the hea- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 159 

venly society will not only possess true holiness, such 
as the law requires, but an absolute perfection of it. 
They will all love God ; and they will love him with 
all their heart, and understanding, and strength. In 
this perfect manner they will love at all times, with- 
out any abatement or interruption. Each member of 
that holy society will love his neighbor — his fellow- 
creature — as himself. The inhabitants of heaven 
will prize their own happiness according to its real 
value, (and its value will not appear to them to be 
small ;) yet there will not be the least particle of self- 
ishness in the love which they exercise towards 
themselves. All those affections, so natural to us in 
this life, which exalt our own interest above its pro- 
per place, will be purged from every heart. Even 
now every degree of selfishness is condemned 
by the law of God, and in heaven there will be no 
transgression of this law. The citizens of the 
New Jerusalem will be unfeignedly thankful for 
their perfection in the holiness and blessedness of the 
upper world ; but none will be proud either of their 
character or their elevation. None will envy such 
as are more honored than they, nor will any despise 
those who occupy a lower place than themselves. 

On earth we should deem that to be a happy state 
of society, where no breaches of human laws, but 
more especially of divine laws, were to occur ; where 
no man was known to injure his neighbor in his per- 
son, property, or reputation. But in heaven the 
social state will be rendered complete, by a perfect 
internal, as well as external obedience to the holy 
law of God. The internal obedience will be as en- 



160 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

tire as the external ; for there will he no hypocrisy 
in heaven. The warfare between the flesh and the 
spirit will he ended, by the complete victory of the 
spirit over the flesh. Even pride, that ever busy sin, 
which now seems as natural to us as our breath, 
will never more inflate the mind. In that world of 
light, no one will think of himself above that which 
he ought to think. For there the spirits of just men 
will be made perfect, in the completest sense. What 
a holy, amiable, and happy society that must be, 
where that law, which is a transcript of God's own 
benevolent heart, is obeyed to perfection, not only in 
all the outward actions, but in all the inward tempers 
and dispositions of the heart : where their worship of 
God is animated and sincere, and their treatment of 
each other perfectly kind, and the whole of this kind- 
ness the fruit of that love which is without dissimula- 
tion ! 

Will not all the redeemed family in heaven rejoice 
and give thanks, that God did not yield to their 
clamors against his law, when they were in their 
unreconciled and unregenerate condition? Will 
they not also give thanks, that He did not lower 
down the requisitions of His law, to accommodate 
their imperfect sanctification, while they were in 
their Christian pilgrimage? They will now have 
the fullest conviction, that the least abatement in the 
strictness of the law would not only have dishonored 
the Divine Lawgiver, but would have been a great 
injury to the subjects of his government. They can 
see that it was altogether better and more consistent, 
that, during their Christian pilgrimage, they should 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 161 

have had occasion to watch and pray against, and 
mourn over those hidden evils of the heart, which are 
condemned by a perfect law, than to have had that 
law made any less perfect, for the sake of saving 
them from such a severe conflict, and from so many 
affecting confessions of their short-comings in duty. 



LECTURE VIII. 

Paul's eager desire to reach the mark of per- 
fection, ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ACKNOWLEDG- 
MENT THAT HE HAD NOT REACHED IT. 

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of 
the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were 
already perfect ; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend 
that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Bre- 
thren, I count not myself to have apprehended ; but this one 
thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and 
reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press to- 
ward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ 
Jesus. Philippians 3 : 11-14. 

In the first part of this chapter Paul warns the 
saints at Philippi to beware of dogs, to beware of evil 
workers, to beware of the concision. " For we," said 
he, " are the circumcision" (that is the true circum- 
cision) " which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice 
in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." 
15* 



162 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

To put them on their guard against these corrupters 
of Christian doctrine, he gives them an account of him- 
self. He first tells them what he was before his con- 
version to Christianity, when he trusted in the right- 
eousness of the law for acceptance with God. He 
makes them acquainted with this interesting fact, 
that his views concerning that righteousness, where- 
by men are justified in the sight of God, had under- 
gone an entire change ; that he had learned, what he 
once did not know, that sinful men could never be 
justified by a righteousness wrought out by them- 
selves ; but only by virtue of that righteousness 
which was wrought out by the incarnate God, the 
crucified Redeemer. To be found in him, not having 
his own righteousness which was of the law, was now 
all his dependence for eternal life. 

These were Paul's experimental views in relation 
to the subject of a justifying righteousness. Here 
we have an important particular in the apostle's reli- 
gion ; but it is not the whole of it. Had he stopped 
here, his zeal to expose pharisaic self-righteousness 
might have left an impression on the minds of those 
who should read his epistle, that he favored an anti- 
nomian latitudinarianism. It behooved him there- 
fore, when he had undertaken to place before them 
his religious exercises, as an inspired example, to 
acquaint them with his views of the subject of sanc- 
tification ; that they might know what he did to pro- 
mote personal holiness. They would naturally wish 
to know, whether his entire dependence on the right- 
eousness of the Redeemer, rendered him indifferent 
about the righteousness of his own character. This 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 163 

part of his experimental religion is the subject matter 
of our text. He had just entered upon it in the pre- 
ceding verse, when he said, " That I might know 
him and the power of his resurrection." And this 
led him to say, ? If by any means I might attain 
unto the resurrection of ihe dead ;" which is the in- 
troductory part of our text, and which if rightly un- 
derstood, will render the whole of it intelligible. 

To me it appears evident, that by attaining to the 
resurrection of the dead, the apostle meant the same as 
attaining to a state of perfection in holiness. It is 
certainly doing no violence to the passage, to under- 
stand it thus ; for there is a spiritual as well as natu- 
ral resurrection. While we yet remain in the body 
we can undergo a change, which the Scripture terms 
"passing from death to life?'' John 3 : 14. When 
our depraved nature is represented by a living prin- 
ciple (called " the old man,") which needs to be de- 
stroyed, the new birth is considered as a crucifixion ; 
and so long as a breath of life remains in the old man, 
the sanctification of the soul is incomplete. But 
when death, instead of life or a living principle, is the 
figure which is chosen to represent our unregenerate 
character, then the new birth is described by a tran- 
sition from death to life ; or which is the same, by a 
resurrection. Although regeneration raises the soul 
from death to life, yet the life does not become per- 
fect so long as the least vestige of death remains in 
the soul. Just so long as any spiritual death remains, 
the spiritual resurrection, its counterpart, is incom- 
plete. Mortifying the old man, and imparting higher 
degrees of life to the new, are both expressive of the 



164 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

same thing, namely, the diminution of sin and the 
augmentation of holiness in the soul of the Christian^ 
In the same proportion that we are in the likeness of 
Christ's death, we shall also be in the likeness of his 
resurrection. His death and his resurrection are 
both of them scriptural illustrations of our transfor- 
mation from sin to holiness. " Knowing this," said 
the apostle in his epistle to the Romans, " that our 
old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin 
might be destroyed." He had just before said, " If 
we have been planted together in the likeness of 
his death, we shah be in the likeness of his resurrec- 
tion." In his epistle to the Ephesians, he alludes to the 
power displayed in the resurrection of Christ, for the 
purpose of illustrating that by which believers have 
been raised from moral death : ik . That ye may know 

what is the exceeding greatness of his power to 

us-ward who believe, according to the working of 
his mighty power which he wrought in Christ ; when 
he raised him from the dead." Rom. 6:5, 6. Eph. 
1 : 19, 20. 

These quotations from two of Paul's epistles will 
help us understand the meaning of the verse which 
immediately precedes, and has an intimate connec- 
tion with the text: " That I might know him and the 
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his 
sufferings, being made conformable to his death." 
To know the power of Christ's resurrection, and to 
be made conformable to his death, both amount to the 
same thing : for to experience a spiritual resurrec- 
tion, answerable to Christ's resurrection from the 
tomb ; and a spiritual crucifixion, conformable to his 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 165 

death on the cross, both of them imply deliverance 
from the reigning power of sin. I now repeat what 
I have already advanced, namely, that we ought to 
understand the apostle's desire to attain to the resur- 
rection of the dead, to mean the same as a desire to 
attain to a state of perfection in holiness ; which is 
nothing less than a complete spiritual resurrection, or 
a complete deliverance from the death of sin. To 
make it evident that it was not a literal, but a spir- 
itual resurrection, which the apostle intended, I wish 
to suggest the following considerations : 

First. The literal resurrection — the rising of the 
body from the grave — comes to us without being 
sought, and is wholly unaffected by any agency of 
our own. But the resurrection which Paul had his 
eye upon, as the object of desire and pursuit, he 
sought to attain, even while he was here on earth. 

Secondly. His saying, " If by any means I might 
attain to the resurrection of the dead," appears to 
convey the same idea that he subsequently expresses 
in language which clearly shows that the object of 
desire and pursuit was higher attainments in piety : 
such as his following after — his seeking to apprehend 
that for which he was apprehended of Christ — his 
forgetting those things which were behind, and reach- 
ing forth to those which were before — his pressing to- 
ward the mark for the prize of the high calling of 
God in Christ Jesus. Does not this language evi- 
dently imply that he had already attained a degree 
of that resurrection which he sought, and that he was 
continually seeking greater degrees of it? 

Thirdly. If the apostle had had in view the resur- 



166 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

rection of the body from a grave of earth, instead of 
the resurrection of the soul from a grave of sin, it 
would have been needless for him to inform his 
brethren that he had not already attained to it. They 
knew of course, that if he had not yet died, he had 
not yet been raised from the dead. But if by resur- 
rection, he intended a complete deliverance from the 
death of sin, it was very proper he should let them 
know, that though he had earnestly, and for a great 
length of years, sought to reach this point, he had 
not yet attained to it. " Not as though I had already 
attained." 

Fourthly. The apostle himself explains what he 
meant; for as soon as he had said, " Not as though 
I had already attained," that is, to the resurrection 
of the dead, he adds this exegetical clause: — "either 
were already perfect ;" — which tells what he meant 
by not having already attained to the resurrection of 
the dead. He evidently meant that his spiritual 
death was not wholly removed, and that the life of 
holiness had not yet reached its perfect state. 

I know there are some who understand, that by the 
apostle's confessing he was not already perfect, he 
intended no more than to say he had not yet finished 
his Christian race, and reached the world of glory. 
They think this passage to be parallel with one in 
the 13th chapter of Luke, where Christ said to some 
who told him that Herod would kill him, ." Go ye 
and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils and do 
cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall 
be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to-day and 
to-morrow, and the day following ; for it cannot be 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 167 

that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. 5 ' But the 
scope of this passage makes it evident that, when 
Christ spoke of his being perfected the third day. he 
referred to that journey which would be the last he 
should take ; for the third day would bring him to 
that wicked city where the Lord's prophets were 
wont to lose their lives. " For it cannot be," said he, 
" that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem," that is, 
any where else except at Jerusalem. This declara- 
tion of Christ gave information to those whom he 
addressed concerning facts which they could not 
otherwise have known, namely, the time and place 
of his death. But surely the saints at Philippi need- 
ed not that Paul should tell them that he had not 
already finished his pilgrimage and gone to heaven : 
or that the general resurrection was not past already. 
As the scope of the passage just quoted from Luke's 
Gospel, makes it evident that by his being perfected, 
Christ meant the same as finishing his journey to Je- 
rusalem, or his journey through life ; so the scope of 
the passage now before us shows that Paul meant 
something else by being perfect. He is manifestly 
speaking of his ardent desires and vigorous efforts 
for personal holiness. As soon as he had said that 
he was not already perfect, he goes on to tell what 
he did in order to attain to this perfection. He says, 
"But I follow after, if I may apprehend that for 
which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." He 
then again confesses that he had not reached this 
point : " Brethren, I count not myself to have appre- 
hended." After repeatedly acknowledging his im- 
perfection, he again brings into view the bright side 



168 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

of his religious experiences : " But this one thing I 
do; forgetting those things which are behind, and 
reaching forth unto those things which are before, I 
press toward the mark." His reaching forth to the 
things before, and pressing toward the mark, clearly 
indicate his eagerness to progress in holy attain- 
ments, and his determination to rest in nothing short 
of perfection. This appears to have been that resur- 
rection of the dead which he sought to attain ; and 
which, not having attained, rendered him an imper- 
fect man. I think it is a clear point, that the mark 
which he aimed at, and toward which he pressed, 
was sinless perfection, or an entire deliverance from 
sin.* 

If the text has been rightly explained, it suggests 
such sentiments as these : 

I. That the state to which Christ designs ultimate- 
ly to bring his redeemed people, is that of sinless per- 
fection. 

II. During the present life they do not arrive at 
such a state. 

III. Yet even here, perfection is what they seek ; 
it is the mark toward which they press. 

* If by the resurrection of the dead, to which the apostle 
made such sedulous efforts to attain, we understand the resur- 
rection of the saints at the last day, still it cannot be the act 
of rising from the grave that is intended, but rather the moral 
perfection which was known to be inseparably connected with 
that state. In view of the perfect holiness of the resurrection 
state, he might be said to be reaching forward and pressing 
toward it, while he still remained an inhabitant of the earth. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS, 169 

I. The state to which Christ designs ultimately to 
bring his redeemed ones is that of sinless perfection. 
In the words before us the apostle says, " I follow 
after, if I may apprehend that for which also I am 
apprehended of Christ Jesus." Christ Jesus, in a 
most gracious manner, apprehended Paul when he 
was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against: 
his disciples, and subdued his rebellious heart. The 
change which he then produced in his character, he 
designed should be not only preserved, but ultimately 
perfected: so that instead of being a rebel, he should 
become as perfectly loyal as if he had never pos- 
sessed any other character than that of loyalty. And 
what Christ designed to do for Paul, he designs to do 
for all the rest of that glorious company who were 
given him of the Father. He finds them all in a 
state of entire depravity, from which he intends to 
raise them, by sanctifying grace, to a state of perfect 
holiness, if it be asked what reason we have to be- 
lieve this, I answer : 

1. It is evident that deliverance from sin is made a 
material part of their salvation. He saves his people 
from their sins. The other part of their salvation is 
deliverance from natural evil, by which is meant suf- 
fering. Now since it is certain that he designs at 
length to deliver his people from all natural evil, it is 
rational to believe that he will also deliver them from 
all moral evil. When there is no more curse, we 
may expect there will be no more sin. 

2. The advancement which the saints make in ho- 
liness during the present life, naturally leads us to 
look forward to a state of perfection. The right- 

16 



170 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

eous not only holds on his way. but waxes stronger 
and stronger. The path of the just, like the shining 
light, grows brighter and brighter. Now we expect 
that every thing in the vegetable and animal creation 
which progresses, will ultimately arrive at perfection. 
The growing harvests at length become fully ripe, 
and growing animals reach their full stature. Since 
then we know that those who are born of God are 
growing in grace, may we not thence conclude with 
great certainty, that they will ultimately reach a 
state of moral perfection? 

3. There is abundant proof from the Scriptures 
that the sacrifice of Christ, which is sufficient to 
cleanse from all sin, will be so applied to the re- 
deemed as to produce this effect. The blood of Jesus 
Christ is said to cleanse from all sin, and from all un- 
righteousness. The apostle has this testimony con- 
cerning Christ : "Who gave himself for us, that he 
might redeem us from all iniquity" " Thou shalt 
call his name Jesus," said the angel to Joseph, " for 
he shall save his people from their sins." The name 
Jesus, thus interpreted, gives his people assurance 
that their salvation from sin shall eventually be com- 
plete. His salvation is a perfect one. The spirits of 
just men will be made perfect. This will prepare 
them to sing that New Jerusalem doxology, Unto 
Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in 
his own blood. I proceed to show, 

II. That during the present life the redeemed do 
not arrive at sinless perfection. " Not as though I 
had already attained," said Paul, " either were al- 
ready perfect. — Brethren, I count not myself to have 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 171 

apprehended." — That is, " 1 make no pretension to 
have reached that moral perfection which Christ re- 
quires of me, and to which I am confident he designs 
ultimately to raise me. No, I am still an imperfect 
saint." But how, it may be asked, does this prove 
that others of the redeemed family do not arrive at 
sinless perfection in the present life ? How does 
Paul's imperfection afford proof that all other saints 
are imperfect, any more than David's adultery proves 
that all other saints are adulterers ; or than Peter's 
denying his Master, proves that all other Christians 
have done the same ? To this it may be replied, 

1. That though there are traits of character pecu- 
liar to some men, there is a moral nature which is 
common to all. Every unrenewed man is not a 
drunkard or a profane swearer ; but every unrenewed 
man is an enemy to the Holy One of Israel, and lives 
to himself instead of living to God. Among the sub- 
jects of grace, some are manifestly more exemplary 
than others. That which is an easily besetting sin to 
one may not be so to another. There are some who 
take such heed to their ways as rarely to sin with 
their tongue, while others have occasion often to 
mourn over some unadvised expression or foolish 
word which has escaped from their lips. But where 
the external conduct of one is more blameless than 
that of another, the hidden evils of the heart are 
more alike. Selfishness, pride and covetousness are 
evils of which they all complain. As to external 
transgressions, the Christian does not conclude that 
his brethren all resemble him. If he has a thirst for 
strong drink, which has in some instances proved a 



172 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

snare to his soul, he does not thence infer that all his 
brethren are as much exposed to this sin as himself. 
But when he perceives in himself a propensity to be 
lifted up with pride ; or a disposition to depend on 
the righteousness of the law. he cries out, Pride is 
the Christian's besetting sin — " Self-righteousness is 
the bane of the Christian" — of every Christian! 
While he can hardly think that the hearts of his 
brethren are as prone to be puffed up with pride as 
his own, still he would be shocked to hear any one of 
them, even the very best, say, that he had no longer 
any trouble with a proud heart. 

2. The imperfection of Paul, if that is proved, fur- 
nishes a strong argument to establish the doctrine of 
the universal imperfection of the saints on earth. It 
does so in two ways. 

1st. Paul was a saint of the first magnitude. When 
guided by the Spirit of God, he makes this declara- 
tion : " In nothing am I behind the very chiefest 
apostles, though I be nothing." Though in him sin 
first abounded, yet did grace superabound. After 
his conversion he was as much distinguished by his 
attachment to the cause of Christ, as he was before 
by his opposition to it. As it was once said, in rela- 
tion to the power of worldly acquisitions to make us 
happy, " What can the man do that cometh after the 
king 1" so may we now say in relation to high at- 
tainments in sanctification, What can the man do 
that cometh after the great apostle of the Gentiles ? 
If, at such an advanced period of his Christian life, 
as that when he wrote his epistle to the Philippians, 
(for it was written after he was sent as a prisoner to 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 173 

Rome,) he had not already attained to perfection, we 
may safely conclude that he never attained to it while 
he lived. And if he never attained to it while he 
lived, we have no reason to believe that any other 
saint ever attained to it. We may therefore under- 
stand that passage, Eccl. 7, 20, in its fullest latitude : 
" There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good 
and sinneth not." 

2d. What was wrought in the heart of Paul by 
the Spirit of God, and by His direction laid before 
the churches in the inspired epistles, was designed 
as an example of a genuine Christian experience. 
In this inspired epistle he discloses the feelings of his 
own heart as a paradigm or sample experience ; that 
others might know what are those exercises of hear{ 
which constitute "truth in the inward parts." Was 
he not prompted by the Holy Spirit to narrate his 
religious experiences, to enable all the readers of his 
epistles to know with certainty what are the feelings 
of a true Christian ? Many have related their re- 
ligious experiences, and they have been made a 
pattern for the imitation of others, while as yet it had 
not been ascertained that such experiences were in 
accordance with the truth of God. Ail can see that it 
was therefore a matter of supreme importance, that 
we should have the religion of the heart placed be- 
fore us, not in theory only, but also in experience. 
Now, since we have the same certainty that the re- 
ligion of Paul was genuine, as we have that the Bible 
is the word of God, we need not be afraid to try our 
religion by his. The disclosures which he makes of 
the hidden evils of his heart, as well as of those holy 
16* 



174 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

affections wrought there by the Spirit of God, will 
help us to judge of the character of our religious af- 
fections. If I can perceive that the feelings of my 
heart agree with the feelings of his heart, I may 
know that I am a child of God. 

In the outset I had occasion to show what we ought 
to understand by the apostle's confession, that he had 
not attained, nor become perfect, nor apprehended 
that for which Christ had apprehended him. If this 
was a confession that he was yet sinfully imperfect, 
(and I do not see what else it can mean,) it proves 
not only that Paul himself was imperfect, but is in 
reality good proof that all other believers are so. 



LECTURE IX. 



THE SUBJECT OF THE PRECEDING LECTURE CONTINUED. 

Having shown, first, that sinless perfection is that 
state to which Christ designs ultimately to bring his 
redeemed people ; and secondly, that in the present 
life they never arrive at such a perfect state ; I pro- 
ceed to show, 

HI. That even here, while they are on earth, per- 
fection is what the saints desire, and is the mark to- 
wards which they press. They not only desire to be 
perfect when they shall arrive in heaven they desire 
it now while they are on earth. This is most cer- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS, 175 

minly true, if Paul's experience Is designed for an 
example, to show us what are the experiences of 
other saints. ' ; If by any means," said this holy man, 
u I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." 
As soon as he had confessed that he had not attained, 
he adds, u But I follow after, if that I may apprehend 
that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." 
After again confessing his short-comings, he says, 
** But this one thing I do, forgetting those things 
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those 
things which are before, I press toward the mark." 
If this does not express a desire — an eager desire — ■ 
for perfection, I do not know what language could 
express it. It seems to have been a desire which 
prompted him to make continual effort to obtain the 
object on which he set his heart. 

If Paul desired and sought after perfection, all 
others who are partakers of the heavenly ealling will 
do so ; for they are all by one Spirit baptized into 
one body, and have all been made to drink into one 
Spirit. 1 Cor. 12 : 13. It is true that the children 
of God are not all of equal stature. Nehemiah bears 
testimony to the distinguished piety of Hananiah, by 
saying that " he feared God above many." Our 
apostle was one who was pre-eminent in his spiritual 
attainments ; but it was not peculiar to him to desire 
greater degrees of sanctification, or even to desire a 
perfection of it This is a trait of Christian char- 
acter in which all true converts agree. As it is com- 
mon to them all to be conscious of their sinful defects, 
so they agree in deploring those defects, and in seek- 
ing a deliverance from them all. That a desire for 



176 lectures on; the moral 

perfect sanctification belongs of necessity to a reno- 
vated character, must appear evident by such con- 
siderations as these : 

First. As God himself is perfect in holiness, he 
requires his creatures to be so. " Be ye holy, for f 
am holy," is the requisition of his word. — " Be ye 
perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." The 
law of God enjoins perfect holiness; and it is the 
nature of grace to make us love this law. " O how 
love I thy law !" " I esteem all thy precepts con- 
cerning all things to be right." Holiness is the very 
thing which endears the character of God to all his 
children. They love him because there is no un- 
righteousness in him. And since they love him for 
being perfect, they cannot but desire to imitate his 
perfection. They desire to be furnished with a moral, 
as well as natural ability, to love the Lord their God 
with all their heart, and soul, and strength. 

Secondly. They who are passed from death unto 
life love the brethren ; that is, they take complacency 
in those who are recovered from sin to holiness. 
They do not love them for their defects of character 
— for what remains of the fruits of the flesh ; but 
wholly on account of the fruits of the Spirit which 
appear in them. Now if it be holiness of character 
which draws forth their complacency, they may say 
with sincerity, what Paul said to the saints at Corinth, 
" This also we wish, even your perfection." And if 
they wish the perfection of their Christian brethren, 
they cannot fail to wish for their own. 

Thirdly. That the child of God desires to be freed 
from every vestige of sin, is proved by that disap- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS- 177 

probation he feels toward all the sin which he sees ; 
and that repentance he exercises in view of all which 
lie commits. We hear one of God's children ex- 
claiming, in view of the corruptions whieh he saw 
•around him, " I beheld the transgressors, and was 
grieved, because they kept not thy word: 15 and an- 
other, in view of the corruption he saw in his own 
heart, "Behold, I am vile — I abhor myself, and re- 
pent in dust and ashes." Now can any one truly 
abhor all the sin which he sees in himself and others, 
and yet not desire to be entirely delivered from the 
thing which he so mortally hates 1 

Fourthly. The spiritual warfare, if it be any thing 
more than a mock fight, proves that the Christian 
seeks the destruction, the utter destruction of all his 
spiritual foes. An important part of this warfare is 
Internal, and consists in the spirit's lusting against 
the flesh. The spirit, or the renovated portion of the 
heart, h the same as that graze which reigns through 
righteousness, and which seeks to destroy all the cor- 
ruptions of the heart, and to reign without a rival, in 
what (according to the dialect of Bunyan) is called 
the town of Man-soul. 

Fifthly. The prayers of the saints, as they are 
found in the sacred volume, evince their sincere de- 
sire not only for ultimate, but present perfection. 
They are taught to pray, " Lead us not into tempta- 
tion, but deliver ss from evil." Every good man, 
under the influence of the Spirit of grace and sup- 
plications, will pray, with David, " Order my steps 
in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion 
oyer me-" " Incline not my heart to any evil thing" 



178 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

The followers of Christ, not only pray against the 
commission of every sin 5 hut they watch as well as 
pray. And such praying and watching against sin, 
betoken a sincere desire for its complete eradication 
from their hearts. 

Sixthly. They who have been at all recovered 
from the dominion of sin, are pleased with heaven 
when considered as a place of spotless holiness. It 
is such a heaven they desire in preference to the pa- 
radise of Mahomet, or any other place defiled with 
sin. That perfection of character which is secured 
to the heavenly state, renders it very attractive to 
the children of God, even while they remain upon 
earth. It has created a longing desire in the hearts 
of many of them to leave this world of sin for that 
world where sin has no entrance. Paul desired, as 
soon as he could be spared from the church on earth, 
to depart and be with Christ in a holy heaven. And 
all God's children would doubtless have similar de- 
sires, had they an equal assurance of their adoption 
into his family. If a desire for a heaven of perfect 
holiness is unfeigned, it proves that an entire freedom 
from sin is the object which they now seek, and that 
nothing* short of such perfection will ever content 
them. 

It is objected to what has now been said concern- 
ing the Christian's desiring and seeking perfection, 
that this cannot be an object of pursuit by those who 
have no expectation of attaining it. In reply to this 
objection, I would say ; 

(1.) As the racer seeks the goal, or the mark to- 
ward which he runs, from the first to the last step of 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 179 

the race, though he knows that the last is the only one 
which will actually reach it. so may the convert seek 
perfection through the whole of his Christian course. 
It is in allusion to a race that the apostle says in our 
text, " I press toward the mark.*' In the very outset, 
he fixed his eye on the end of the race, eagerly anti- 
cipating that perfection in holiness, which would fit 
him for the full and uninterrupted enjoyment of his 
beloved Savior. 

(2.) There is a sense in which the Christian, in 
distinction from the man in a race, seeks to reach the 
goal at every step he takes. If by the goal, be in- 
tended the terminating point in the race, he does not 
seek to reach it until he takes the last step. But if a 
perfection of character be what is intended by it, 
(and this seems to be what the apostle intends by 
the mark toward which he pressed,) he seeks to 
reach it by the first, and by all the succeeding steps 
in the race. In the literal race, there is an impossi- 
bility of a natural kind, to prevent one from reaching 
the goal, as soon as he starts from the barrier. But 
in the Christian race it is otherwise. There is no insu- 
perable difficulty, to hinder the Christian racer from 
reaching the mark of perfection at his very outset; 
except what consists in the depravity of his own 
heart. If the impediment, which hinders the Chris- 
tian from reaching the mark of perfection, were of 
such a nature as to place it beyond the control of a 
willing mind, it would then be unattainable, in such 
a sense as to preclude all effort. But now the man 
of grace seeks to reach the mark of perfection at 
every step which he takes. When he attempts to 



180 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

promote contrition in his heart, it is a perfection* 
of this grace which he seeks. So when he would 
strengthen his faith in God — in Christ — it is a faith 
unmixed with doubt,, which he seeks to obtain. It is 
so in relation to the other graces of the Spirit and 
parts of the Christian character. 

But why, it may be asked, if the redeemed of the 
Lord desire and seek to be perfect while they are 
here on earth, do they not actually attain to it % To 
this inquiry, I have no answer to give by way of 
excuse : but I have an answer to give, which ac- 
counts for the fact, that Christians do not become 
perfect as soon as they desire to be so. We have a 
pertinent answer to this inquiry, from the pen of the 
apostle, Gal. 5 : 17 : " For the flesh lusteth against 
the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these 
are contrary, the one to the other ; so that ye cannot 
do the things that ye would" The spirit, or the sanc- 
tified nature, desires perfect holiness ; but the flesh, 
the unsanctified nature, has desires which are entire- 
ly of a contrary character. And these, so long as 
they remain, effectually prevent the other class of 
desires from being fully gratified. The language of 
the Christian is, " I delight in the law of God, after 
the inward man ; but I see another law in my mem- 
bers warring against the law of my mind, and bring- 
ing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in 
my members." 

The subject to which we have now been attending 
is far from being a mere speculation, it is highly 
practical. 

1. It serves to expose the religion of two classes 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 181 

of professed Christians — those who claim to have 
arrived at sinless perfection — and those who make 
no effort to arrive at such a state. 

First. It exposes the religion of those who profess 
to have arrived at sinless 'perfection. I make no pre- 
tension to an intuitive knowledge of the hearts of 
my fellow-men. But God possesses such a know- 
ledge ; therefore, every criterion of moral character 
which comes from him may be relied on. If (for ex- 
ample) the Searcher of hearts has declared, u He 
that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, 
is in darkness even until now," we ought to conclude 
that a cherished hatred of our brethren is decisive 
proof of our unregeneracy. Although every man 
has the power of looking directly into his heart, and 
discovering the quality of his inward affections, 
nothing is more common than for men to mistake 
their character. The apostle intimates, that a man 
may think himself to be something, when he is no- 
thing, and thus deceive himself. And the wisest of 
men assures us. " There is a generation that are pure 
in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their 
filthiness." 

The volume of inspiration is adapted to recover us 
from the ruins of the fall, to improve our renovated 
character, also to help us determine what our charac- 
ter is, whether we are for Christ or against him. 
One way which God has taken to promote these im- 
portant objects, is by placing before us attractive ex- 
amples. He has set forth his well beloved Son as 
our supreme example of holy living. Next to his 
Son, I am led to believe, he has constituted Paul, 
17 



182 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

the apostle of the Gentiles, our chief pattern. By 
his Spirit he guided this servant of his to say to us, 
in one of his epistles to the Corinthians, a Be ye fol- 
lowers of me, even as I also am of Christ." And in 
our context, as soon as he had narrated those reli- 
gious experiences which we have been considering, 
he says, " Brethren, be followers together of me, 
and mark them that w T alk so, as ye have us for an 
example." There is an important particular wherein 
Paul is our pattern, in distinction from Christ. It is 
to the honor of Christ that he could not himself give 
us an example of the conflict between the flesh and 
the spirit — nature and grace. As Christ w T as never 
a sinner, his conflict with sin was not like that with 
which every Christian is much acquainted, namely, 
a conflict with the corruptions of his own heart. But 
Paul was originally a sinner, as entirely depraved as 
any other man. The grace of God made a sudden 
and wonderful change in his character. Yet the 
change, though great, did not complete his sanctifi- 
cation at once. He still needed much discipline. He 
needed thorns in the flesh to prevent him from being 
exalted above measure. In common with his bre- 
thren, he had foes without and foes within, to con- 
flict with during his mortal life. In this respect, Paul 
is our pattern so as Christ himself is not. It was 
exceedingly important that the Spirit of inspiration 
should present us with a distinguished example, in 
the Christian church, of a genuine convert, who 
should give us a history, not only of the acts of his 
life, but also of the affections and conflicts of his 
mind. And the apostle of the Gentiles, rather than 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 183 

any other individual, seems to have been selected 
for this purpose. 

If it should be said, that neither Paul's external 
nor internal defects were designed as a pattern for 
our imitation, I grant it : for he required his brethren 
to be followers of him only as he was of Christ. Yet 
it is true that he, with all his imperfections, is a pat- 
tern for us in this respect; that in him we learn what 
a Christian is. In Christ we see, to perfection, what 
a Christian ought to be ; but in the apostle we learn 
what a Christian actually is. It was so ordered in 
providence, that Paul's epistle to the Romans and 
his epistle to the Philippians should not be written, 
until after he had been many years in the school of 
Christ, and his religion had had opportunity to be- 
come matured : for it is in these epistles he gives us 
the fullest account of his religious experiences, and 
of his severe conflict with indwelling sin ; accompa- 
nied with an explicit acknowledgment of his not 
having reached a state of perfection in holiness. 
His conflict with indwelling sin and his conviction of 
falling short of perfection, are not trifling circum- 
stances ; they manifestly constitute a material part 
of his religious experiences. We therefore have a 
right to say, that whoever shall now claim to have 
a religious experience which essentially differs from 
that of the apostle — an experience which has never 
had, or which does not continue to have connected 
with it, such a conflict with sin, and such a humbling 
sense of falling short of the demands of a perfect 
law, — has reason to fear that he has made a mis- 



184 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

take, either concerning the nature of holiness, or the 
character of his own exercises and actions. 

In this connection, suffer me to place before you a 
specimen of the experimental religion of President 
Edwards ; than whom we have probably not had in 
the American church a greater divine, or a Christian 
more deeply experienced in the religion of the heart. 
At a period of his life when his religion was much 
matured, he remarks : " It is affecting to think how 
ignorant I was, when a young Christian, of the 
depths of wickedness, pride, hypocrisy and deceit 
left in my heart. I have a much greater sense of my 
universal exceeding dependence on God's grace and 
strength of late, than I used formerly to have ; and 
have experienced more of an abhorrence of my own 
righteousness. And yet I am greatly afflicted with a 
proud self-righteous spirit ; much more sensibly than 
I used to be formerly. I see that serpent rising and 
putting forth its head continually, every where, all 
around me." 

When such experimental exercises as these are 
placed by the side of Paul's experiences, as they are 
disclosed in the text, I would ask, have we not more 
reason to believe that Edwards was a true convert — 
a real Christian, than we should have had, if he had 
described himself as unconscious of remaining de- 
pravity, and as having no longer any conflict with the 
corruptions of his own heart? And, with the apos- 
tle's experimental religion before us, can we not per- 
ceive the propriety of an observation which was made 
by Brainerd during the last year of his life 1 " I could 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 185 

not but think," said he, " as I have often remarked to 
others, that much more of religion consists in deep 
humility, brokenness of heart, and an abasing sense 
of barrenness and want of grace and holiness, than 
most who are called Christians imagine." 

Secondly. The subject before us exposes the re- 
ligion of those who make no effort to become perfect. 
The religion of such differs from that of Paul in a 
very important particular. He not only kept on his 
way to heaven with a steady pace, but strove to mend 
his pace, and to do the will of God to perfection. 
The deep conviction he had of remaining imperfec- 
tion, and his groaning under it as under a body of 
death, shows us that he would fain have been as sin 
less as an angel. This is also shown by those fervent 
breathings after perfect holiness, and those efforts to 
attain to it which occupy a prominent place in our 
text. His language is, " If by any means I might 
attain unto the resurrection of the dead" — that is, a 
complete deliverance from moral death. As soon as 
he has informed us that he has not yet attained, he 
repeats the mention of his desire and effort to attain 
to it: "But I follow after, if that I may apprehend 
that for which also I am apprehended of Christ 
Jesus." No sooner has he informed us that he did 
not count himself to have apprehended, than he tells 
us again how greatly he desires it : " But this one 
thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind 
and reaching forth unto those things which are be- 
fore, I press toward the mark." 

We now see that part of the apostle's religious ex- 
perience which is comprised in the spirit's lusting 
17* 



186 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

against the flesh. Nor was this lusting of the spirit 
against the flesh so weak and ineffectual as to ac- 
complish. nothing. It is true that, while he remained 
in the body, it did not enable him to reach the mark 
of perfection ; but we see it kept him constantly press- 
ing towards it. 

Is it not unreasonable, my brethren, that we should 
any of us have recourse to that part of the apostle's ex- 
perience which exhibits the lustings of the flesh against 
the spirit, for the purpose of proving that our experi- 
ences are genuine,- if in the other part, namely, the 
lusting of the spirit against the flesh, there is no re- 
semblance between his religion and ours 1 Our reli- 
gious experiences may be genuine, though our at- 
tainments do not equal those of the apostle, and 
though our breathings after holiness are less ardent 
than his, but we have no right to conclude they are 
genuine, unless we resemble him in following after — 
in seeking to apprehend that for which we were 
apprehended — in forgetting what is behind and 
reaching forth to that which is before — unless we 
resemble him in pressing toward the mark of per- 
fection. They who are born of the Spirit have all 
entered the Christian race, and they must continue to 
run, or they will not obtain the prize. They have 
engaged in a holy war, and none will be conquerors 
but those who fight during the war. Nor will it an- 
swer for us to fight as those who beat the air. Our 
bodies must be kept under and be brought into sub- 
jection, else we shall be castaways. 

If, my hearers, we should oppose the doctrine of 
the Perfectionists, because we have no desire to be 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 187 

perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect, it 
would be a strong indication that we had not been 
baptized with the Holy Ghost. God forbid that I 
should say a word to hinder growth in grace or pro- 
gress in holiness. Holiness constitutes the beauty 
and excellency of moral agents. It is the beauty of 
the Divine Mind. And it should be our daily prayer 
that this beauty of the Lord our God may be upon 
us. The more we possess of it, the more lovely, 
happy and useful we shall be. When we find our 
breathing after holiness of heart and life is faint, it 
is an alarming symptom. It betokens our spiritual 
health to be poor. Those professing Christians who 
settle down with the acquirements they have already 
made ; who are not reaching forth to those things 
which are before ; who are not cleansing themselves 
from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, 
perfecting holiness in the fear of God ; who are not 
holding on their way, and even waxing stronger and 
stronger ; have no right to take encouragement from 
Paul's acknowledgment that he was not already per- 
fect. For never did a miser appear more eager to 
acquire greater sums of gold, than he did to acquire 
greater degrees of conformity to his glorious Re- 
deemer. 

According to the sentiments which most of us 
have adopted, we should be apt to suspect the gen- 
. uineness of Ms religion who appeared to have no 
sympathy with the apostle in those humbling con- 
fessions he made of his imperfect sanctification. And 
have we not as much reason to be suspicious of Ms 
religion, who appears to know nothing of those hun- 



188 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

gerings and thirstings after righteousness, which oc- 
cupy such a distinguished place in the religion of the 
apostle % Surely he who has no other sign of grace, ex- 
cept a consciousness that he is not a sinless charac- 
ter, can have no great reason to comfort himself. A 
conviction that we have not attained to perfection, 
when not accompanied with desires and efforts to 
attain to it, can constitute no evidence of a gracious 
state. In this connection does it not "behoove us, 
Christian brethren, to inquire, whether the profound 
sleep which has come over the churches of our land 
be not, to a great extent, the sleep of death 1 Have 
we not occasion to fear, that the reason why the 
churches at the present day shed forth so feeble a 
light on the surrounding darkness, is that the lamps of 
quite a portion of the members, for want of oil in the 
vessel, are gone out ? Many professors of this de- 
scription are doubtless calculating that ere long they 
shall arise and trim their lamps, and that then they 
will burn and shine. But is it not to be feared that 
they belong to that class of virgins, who will sleep on 
until the Bridegroom shall come, when it will be too 
late to supply themselves with oil for their lamps? 

To all who have paid a careful attention to the 
subject before us, I think it must appear evident, 
that no religious experiences, however bright they 
may have been, can lay any solid foundation for the 
Christian hope, unless they have come along down 
with us to the present time. Neither our convictions 
of sin, nor our aspirations after holiness, can have 
been left behind, if indeed we are partakers of the 
heavenly calling, if we are the temples of the Holy 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 189 

Ghost. The water which Christ gives to those who 
ask it of him, proves in every case to be a living 
well, springing up into everlasting life. And where 
this living water springs up in the soul, it will dis- 
close itself in the external conduct ; for it is agree- 
able to its very nature, to flow out in fertilizing 
streams. [Compare John 4 : 14, with 7 : 38, 39.] 

Do our religious experiences, my brethren, agree 
with those of the apostle, which have this day been 
placed before us ? It is a very interesting inquiry, 
and one which ought not to be disposed of without 
deep consideration. If we are certain that we have 
the same kind of religion which he had, and which 
he describes in the text, and in other parts of his wri- 
tings, then may we know that his Savior is our 
Savior, and his heaven will also be ours. If we 
press toward the same mark to which he pressed, 
and with similar desires to reach it, then shall we 
obtain with him the prize of the high calling of God 
which is in Christ Jesus. But if our religion is en- 
tirely of another kind ; if it extinguishes convictions 
of sin, and produces that satiety which destroys a 
hunger and thirst after righteousness ; if it makes us 
wish to get to heaven with as little religion as will 
possibly answer ; then as certainly as Paul's religion 
is genuine, ours is spurious, and must be given up, 
and something better obtained in its room ; else, 
when the Bridegroom shall come, we shall not be 
admitted into the marriage with the prepared guests. 
And when the door is shut, we shall be excluded : 
after which, knocking will be utterly unavailing. 

2. While this subject shows that sin is possessed 



190 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

by the regenerate as well as the unregenerate, it 
furnishes no security for the latter ; for, though there 
is a point of resemblance between these two classes 
of men, there is nevertheless a wide difference. The 
saint on earth does not agree with the saint in hea- 
ven, in being perfectly cleansed from the filthiness of 
sin, but is, in common with the unregenerate man, 
possessed of a sinful nature : and yet the latter does 
not agree with him, in partaking of a holy nature. 
In this respect they entirely differ. It is true that 
the saint as well as the sinner has been totally de- 
praved ; but he is now partially cleansed, while the 
sinner remains in all the filthiness of his original 
depravity. The soul of the renewed man is com- 
posed of two entirely different natures, termed Jiesh 
and spirit ; while the soul of the unrenewed man is 
nothing but flesh. The renewed man mourns over 
that period of his life, when he was estranged from 
God ; also over those relics of original depravity, 
which still cleave to him : but the unrenewed man, 
being a stranger to godly sorrow for sin, holds fast 
deceit, and refuses to return. The heaven-born soul 
hungers and thirsts after righteousness, and seeks to 
mortify its sinful propensities : but the unrenewed 
mind seeks its happiness in the gratification of such 
propensities. The spiritual man prays much for the 
Spirit of God to help him eradicate from his heart 
all the roots of native depravity: but the carnal man 
always resists the Holy Ghost, lest he should be 
converted and turned from those selfish pursuits, on 
which is all his dependence for happiness. The spi- 
ritual man, having repaired to the standard of recon- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 191 

ciliation, earnestly desires that every proud imagina- 
tion of his heart, and every high thing which exalteth 
itself against the knowledge of God, may be brought 
into captivity to the obedience of Christ: but the 
carnal man, still adhering to the standard of rebel- 
lion, cherishes all the native pride of his heart. He 
who is under the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, 
is progressing in holiness and fitness for heaven : but 
he who is destitute of the Spirit, is progressing in 
wickedness and fitness for destruction. The saint 
has renounced, and is still renouncing the merit of 
his own doings : but the merit of his own doings is 
all the sinner's dependence : he has never submitted 
to the righteousness of God. The saint, by virtue of 
his union with Christ, has received the forgiveness 
of his sins, and stands justified before God : but the 
sinner, having no union with Christ, is in a state of 
condemnation. 

Let not the sinner then imagine, because the saint, 
as well as himself, has sin about him and within him, 
that there is but a slight difference between them. 
There is a difference of character which is funda- 
mental ; and the distance between them is widening 
every day. And nothing short of a radical change, 
on the part of the sinner, will prevent their being 
placed as wide apart, in the coming world, as heaven 
and hell. 



192 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 



LECTURE X. 

HOLINESS OF CHARACTER, BOTH INTERNAL AND 
EXTERNAL, SECURED BY THE NEW BIRTH. 

Whosoever is bora of God doth not commit sin ; for his 
seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is 
born of God. 1 John 3:9. 

To derive profit from this, or any other portion of 
Scripture, it is necessary to apprehend its true mean- 
ing. It is by knowing the truth that we are made 
free — free from mistake, and its pernicious conse- 
quences. If we would make ourselves acquainted 
with the text, we must first ascertain the definite 
meaning of the assertion, which is made concerning 
the man who is born of God, that he " doth not com- 
mit sin :" and secondly, we need to understand what 
that is, which is declared to be sufficient to preserve 
him from its commission. 

1. Let us seek to ascertain what is asserted con- 
cerning the man who is born of God, when it is said, 
he doth not commit sin. It is worthy of notice, that 
the thing which the apostle asserts, whatever it is, 
he extends to all the subjects of the new birth, with- 
out any exception. 

It is manifest that he does not describe a few pri- 
vileged converts, but all such as have passed from 
death to life. Whosoever is born of God doth not 
commit sin. To this he adds, " And he cannot sin, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 193 

because he is born of God." Whatever the apostle 
intended by one's not committing sin, or by his being 
rendered incapable of committing it, he evidently 
applies to all the true subjects of this moral change. 
If they cannot sin, because they are born of God, 
then all who are born of God, are, in the sense of the 
text, secured against the commission of sin. 

Now this circumstance renders it perfectly certain 
that the thing which the text declares concerning the 
man who is born of God, is not, that he has become 
immaculate and impeccable, or that he is, in the 
highest sense, a sinless character. If this were the 
meaning of the text, it would authorize us to assert, 
that no man since the foundation of the world, ever 
did a sinful action, or exercised a wrong affection of 
heart, after he had experienced the new birth. It 
would authorize us to say, either that Moses was not 
a saint, or that he riever spake unadvisedly with his 
lips: that David was not a man after God's own 
heart, or that his adultery and murder were no 
crimes: that Peter was not a true disciple, or that 
his denial of his Master was innocent. It would 
authorize us to alter the reading of such a passage 
as Eccl. 7 : 20 ; so that instead of its making the 
assertion, u There is not a just man upon earth, that 
doeth good, and sinneth not," it should affirm, There 
is not a just man who does good at ail, unless he does 
good to perfection. 

That good men in past generations, especially 
during the Old Testament dispensation, and the per- 
sonal ministry of Christ, were not wholly sanctified, 
is so very evident as to be disputed by none. Even 
18 



194 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

that sect which are by way of eminence called 
" Perfectionists," do not, I believe, pretend that re- 
generation, in that period of the church, was followed 
by a perfect sanctification. They would explain our 
text (if I am not misinformed concerning their senti- 
ments) so as to make it true in a prospective, though 
not in a retrospective application. But neither the 
text nor context gives the least intimation that what 
is affirmed concerning the man who is born of God 5 
was intended to apply to such conversions as were 
then future, in distinction from such as were past. It 
is because they are born of God, and because their 
seed remaineth in them, that they cannot sin. And 
since it is equally true of converts in every period 
and place, that they are born of God, and that their 
seed remaineth in them, therefore the reason which 
is assigned why one of them cannot sin, will apply 
with all its force to their whole company. If then it 
is conceded by all, that the Scriptures do not teach 
that every true convert has always been sinlessly 
perfect, even from the time of his drawing the first 
breath of spiritual life, we must of course be agreed 
in understanding the assertion in the text to mean 
something less than an absolute freedom from sin. 

Since we must all be convinced that it could not 
have been the intention of the apostle to assert, that 
regeneration and perfect sanctification are now and 
always have been simultaneous, we are compelled to 
look for some other construction of his words. And 
what construction can be more natural than the one 
which supposes he intended to say, " That whosoever 
is born of God will certainly break off from his sins. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 195 

If he has a new heart he will have a new life — not a 
sinful, but a holy life. We need not, we cannot un- 
derstand him to say, that the man who is born of 
God is henceforth a sinless character, like the inhab- 
itants of heaven ; but rather, that the life which he 
henceforth lives will be free from sin, in distinction 
from the life which he before lived, and in distinction 
from the one which unconverted men still live. 

Let us now examine the text in connection with 
the context. There is no better way than this to de- 
termine what a writer intends by the words and 
phrases which he uses. In the 13th verse of the last 
chapter we learn what was a very special design of 
this whole epistle : " These things," says the apostle, 
"have I written unto you that believe on the name 
of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have 
eternal life." To enable believers to know that they 
had eternal life, he mentions some of the most essen- 
tial points of difference between them and unbelievers. 
And there is no one thing to which he gives more 
prominence than the difference in their external con- 
duct or manner of life. In the first chapter, this dif- 
ference between the two moral classes is represented 
by their walking either in darkness or light: which I 
think can mean nothing else than their living, the 
one class a sinful, and the other a holy life. 

In the second chapter, this point of difference be- 
tween the two classes is more distinctly noticed. 
"Hereby," says the apostle, "we do know that we 
know him, if we keep his commandments. He that 
saith, I know him, and keepeth not his command- 
ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But 



198 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of 
God perfected : hereby know we that we are in him. 
He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also 
so to walk even as he walked." In these verses an 
external obedience to the divine commands is con- 
sidered as the grand evidence of that love to God 
which is the obedience of the heart. Experimental 
religion, or love dwelling in the heart, is here made 
the tree, whose fruit will necessarily be an outward 
obedience to all the will of God. The closing verse 
of this chapter is in harmony with the verses which 
I have already quoted : " If ye know that he is 
righteous, ye know that every one that doeth right- 
eousness is born of him. 5 ' 

Let us now look into the chapter where the text is 
found, and examine the scripture whose connection 
with it is more immediate. The apostle begins this 
chapter by speaking of the astonishing love which 
God had shown to those whom he had brought into 
the endearing relation of sons. Concerning such he 
says, " It doth not yet appear what we shall be : but 
we know that when he shall appear we shall be like 
him ; for we shall see him as he is." This was tell- 
ing the sons of God what a perfect conformity they 
would have to Christ, their Head, in the world to 
come. Having done this, he next informs them how 
they would be distinguished from other men, while 
they still remained on the earth. He says, " Every 
man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even 
as He is pure." That is, provided his hope be genu- 
ine, arising from the love of God shed abroad in his 
heart by the Holy Ghost, he will even now, in the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 197 

purity of his life, resemble his Savior. A little be- 
fore the apostle reaches the text, he makes this em- 
phatic declaration : " Whosoever abideth in him, 
sinneth not ; whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, 
neither known him." He then adds, u He that doeth 
righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous." 
Here he makes the doing of righteousness to be the 
exact moral opposite of that sinning of which he 
had just spoken. In the verse which stands imme- 
diately before the text he asserts, u He that com- 
mitteth sin is of the devil ;" and, in the one which 
stands next after it, he says, "In this the children of 
God are manifest, and the children of the devil: 
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." 

The line of separation which the text, with its con- 
text, draws between those two grand divisions of our 
race here denominated the children of God, and the 
children of the devil, is that visible difference which 
appears in their external walk. The difference in- 
tended is not secret, but one which is manifest. u In 
this," says the apostle, "the children of God are 
manifest, and the children of the devil." That is, 
they are manifest by their doing righteousness, and 
not doing righteousness — their sinning, and not sin- 
ning. No intimation is given in the text, or any 
where in this chapter, that the apostle is marking 
out a line to divide between a certain portion of the 
children of God and their less favored brethren ; but 
a line to divide between the children of God and the 
children of the wicked one, and between the whole 
of the two families. According to the statements 
which he makes, " He that committeth sin is of the 
18* 



198 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

devil :" yea, " whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, 
neither known him." Sinning, according to the dia- 
lect which he uses, is full proof that one has had no 
experimental knowledge of religion. 

But since no sober expounder of Scripture will 
pretend that every sinful defect of heart or life is de- 
cisive proof that we have never known the Lord 
Jesus Christ, there can be no consistent way of in- 
terpreting the apostle's assertion, "Whosoever is 
born of God doth not commit sin," but by under- 
standing him hereby to describe that reformed life, 
which is the invariable fruit of a renewed mind. It 
amounts to an emphatic declaration, that a man's 
heart is no better than his life ; that a man who does 
not live a religious life, is not a religious man ; that 
he who does not walk as Christ walked, has not his 
Spirit ; and if he has not the Spirit of Christ, he is 
none of his. 

Some may wonder, if this was all which the 
apostle meant by a man's not committing sin, that he 
should have made use of such strong language. 
But why, I would ask, should it not seem equally 
strange that all the names by which the Scriptures 
distinguish the men of grace from their fellow-men, 
should be such as are descriptive of moral excellence 
alone ? None of these names imply any defect in 
their character. They are denominated the saints, 
the righteous, the godly, &c. By their being thus 
denominated, it is not implied that they are immacu- 
late saints, or that they are righteous and godly to 
perfection. Yet, when we would distinguish them 
from their fellow men, it is proper to say of them, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS, 199 

they are saints and not sinners, righteous and not 
wicked, godly and not ungodly. Just so it is proper 
to say of them, they live holy and not sinful lives ; 
that they live righteously and not wickedly. Were 
one man to say of another, I believe that this man is 
a real saint and not a sinner, it would not amount to 
a declaration that he believed the man's spirit was as 
free from every stain as the spirits of just men made 
perfect. Nor does the apostle's assertion in the text 
imply that every one who is born of God, is, in the 
highest sense, a spotless character. 

There are some who suppose that the declaration 
in the text, " Whosoever is born of God doth not 
commit sin," means no more than to say, his reno- 
vated nature cannot sin. Had this been the idea to 
be communicated, the expression would have been, 
whatsoever is born of God doth not commit sin. In 
the room of its being said, he cannot sin, because he 
is born of God, the expression would have been, it 
cannot sin. The language of the text evidently in- 
dicates it to be a person that doth not commit sin ; 
and that this person is held back from its commission 
by something which has been wrought within him by 
the power of God. Besides, to say the renovated 
nature cannot sin, would be rather an unmeaning 
declaration, since it is evident that the holiness of 
this renovated nature does at times suffer a sensible 
diminution. And to say that so much of the new 
nature, as shall at any time remain in the heart, does 
not sin, is merely to say, that so far as we are sanc- 
tified we are not unsanctified, so far as we are holy 
we are not sinful. 



200 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

There are others who suppose that the thing 
which the apostle intended to assert in our text, is 
the impossibility that any of the regenerated should 
be left to commit the sin of blaspheming against the 
Holy Ghost. It is unquestionably true that all those 
who are born of God will be preserved from the 
commission of this sin. In the last chapter of this 
epistle there is a passage, much like the text, which 
stands in close connection with some instructions re- 
lating to that sin which is unto death. It would not 
therefore be unnatural to give to that passage such 
an application. But the context forbids us to ex- 
pound the text in this way : for such an exposition 
would make the great dividing line between the re- 
generate and the unregenerate to consist in their 
being either guiltless or guilty in relation to this spe- 
cific transgression. It would suppose (what I con- 
clude none will pretend to believe) that this consti- 
tutes the plainest and most visible difference between 
these two classes of men. 

Some think, when it is said concerning the subjects 
of the new birth that they do not sin, it means no 
more than that they do not sin wilfully, as other men 
sin. But if men professing to have passed from 
death unto life were to be as negligent of duty, and 
as loose in their practice as they were before their 
professed transition from one of these states to the 
other, how could it be known that they did not sin as 
wilfully as heretofore ? 

Others may think the text is designed merely to 
nform us of the safety of the regenerate, — to tell us 
that iniquity will not be their ruin. Its more imme- 



IMPERFECTION* OF CHRISTIANS. 201 

diate design, however, is to tell us that they will not 
practise sin ; that, as a contrast to their former lives, 
and to the lives of such as still continue in sin, they 
will be holy men, not fashioning themselves accord- 
ing to the former lusts in their ignorance. 

I trust we have now ascertained the import of that 
assertion which the apostle makes concerning such 
as are born of God. We must, I think, be convinced 
that while it does not teach a doctrine so contrary to 
Scripture and experience, as the sinless perfection of 
all the regenerate, it does teach that regeneration 
always produces a desirable and permanent change 
in our moral conduct. 

In the outset I divided the doctrine of my text into 
two heads. In handling the first, which I have now 
finished, it was difficult to avoid anticipating some 
things which more appropriately belonged to the 
other. But its importance to a full understanding of 
the subject, requires that the 

II. Head should now receive a more distinct con- 
sideration; the object of which is to inquire, how we 
shall account for the fact, that a new and spiritual 
birth should produce such a reformed life. The 
reason which the text first assigns, why the man 
who is born of God doth not commit sin, is that his 
seed remaineth in him. It then proceeds to say, 
" and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 
Now the reason which is last given, namely, that he 
is born of God, would not have been sufficient to ac- 
count for the fact that he cannot sin, had it stood 
alone. A spiritual birth does not of itself secure a 



202 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

spiritual life. Adam was created in the image of 
God; but this did not prevent his apostacy. The 
devils we know were once holy angels. Had there 
not been a more established connection between the 
commencement and perpetuity of holiness, in the 
heart of a redeemed sinner, than there was between 
the imparting and preserving of a holy character, in 
the case of probationers under the covenant of works, 
then the new birth would give no security for a sub- 
sequent life of obedience. But the two cases are 
quite different. Though the holiness of innocent 
Adam and that of regenerated Adam (if regenerated 
he was) were of the same nature, yet as to the se- 
curity given for their continuance, there was a great 
disparity. He who is born of God is born into a 
kingdom of grace, where, through the mediation of 
God's well-beloved Son, provision is made for the 
preservation, growth, and final perfection of the reno- 
vated nature. 

To understand this part of our subject, we need to 
look attentively at these two things : first, the con- 
nection which is established between regeneration 
and progressive sanctification; and, secondly, be- 
tween inward and outward obedience, or a sanctified 
heart and a holy life. 

First. We need to be convinced that there is an 
established connection between regeneration and 
sanctification. That the moral change which is pro- 
duced in the regenerated man is not transient, but 
permanent, is clearly taught when it is said, " for his 
seed remaineth in himP They who pass from the 
death of sin to the life of holiness, receive an abiding 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 203 

principle of life. They are raised from death, to die 
no more. They are born again, not of corruptible 
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which 
liveth and abideth forever. They have an unction 
of the Holy One which abideth in them. They have 
the truth, by an experimental knowledge of it, in 
their inward parts, and it shall be in them forever. 
2 John, ver. 2. They have drunk of that water 
which creates in them a living well, and which it is 
promised shall spring up into everlasting life. It is 
true their well is sometimes low, and would become 
entirely exhausted, were it not replenished from an 
exhaustless fountain. But that Almighty Agent, 
who produces this moral change, stands engaged to 
preserve, and also to improve it. Hence Paul could 
tell the saints at Philippi that he was confident of 
this very thing, that he who had begun a good work 
in them would perform it until the day of Jesus 
Christ. The Head of the church has life in himself; 
and to all his spiritual members he says, "Because I 
live, ye shall live also." They are kept by the power 
of God, not merely as men, but as believers. 1 Pet. 
1:5. 

The promises of the new covenant render it cer- 
tain, that where holiness is introduced, by regenera- 
ting grace, into the hearts of any of the children of 
men, it will not only remain, but increase. Hence 
this change is compared to a child's birth, which is 
followed by his growth up to the stature of a man : 
and again, to the first dawn of light in the morning, 
which shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect 



204 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

day. The righteous shall not only hold on his way, 
but go from strength to strength. 

Secondly. As there is an established connection 
between incipient and progressive holiness in the 
heart of the convert, the connection is no less certain 
between internal and external holiness- — between a 
good heart and a good life. The members of the 
body always obey the mandates of the mind. Though 
the mind, influenced by sensual appetites, may be 
induced to issue very unwise mandates, its regency 
is nevertheless retained to the very last. The Savior 
declared, " Out of the abundance of the heart the 
mouth speaketh." And it is the heart which com- 
mands the hand and the foot, as well as the tongue. 
Were it not for this established connection between 
the man within, and the man without, external actions 
would be no index of character. If there might be 
a benevolent heart, and at the same time a slanderous 
tongue and a murderous hand, I can see no way in 
which we could distinguish between the good and 
the bad man. It is true that a bad heart may some- 
times conceal its mischievous designs by a fair ex- 
terior, so as to resemble the cup and platter whose 
outside is cleansed : but a good heart will never in- 
fluence to a bad life. Let the inside of the cup and 
platter be first cleansed, and the outside of them will 
be clean also. Matt. 23 : 26. 

Nothing can be more evident than this, that the 
doctrine of the text supposes the existence of an im- 
mutable connection between internal and external 
holiness. It supposes that if a bad tree can be 
changed into one which is good, its fruit will undergo 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 205 

the same change. ;; For the tree is known by its 
fruit." The reason why any tree (either in the na- 
tural or moral world,) brings forth good, in distinction 
from bad fruit, is. that the tree itself is good. This 
is that which makes it natural for it to bring forth 
such fruit. Whosoever is born of God brings forth 
the fruits of righteousness, because he is a tree of 
righteousness, of the Lord's planting. M A good man 
out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth 
good things." If then there is a promise which 
secures the goodness of every tree which is of the 
Lord's planting, it is a guaranty for its fruitfulness, 
even to old age. If it is made certain that the good 
treasure in the Christian's heart will never fail, it 
must be equally certain that from this unexhausted 
treasure he will continue to bring forth good things. 
If his heart remains good, his life will be good also. 
Matt. 12 : 33-35. Isa. 61 : 3. Ps. 92 : 14. Having 
now placed before you what I believe to be the doc- 
trine taught in the text, I shall close with a 



PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 

1. In the light of this subject it is plain, that where 
one's experimental religion ceases, and does not go 
with him down through the different periods and 
changes of life, there can be no evidence that he has 
been truly born of God : for had he been born of God ; 
his seed would have remained in him. The seed in 
him, is his experimental or inward religion ; his re- 
pentance for sin — his faith in Christ — his supreme 
19 



206 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

love to God — complacency in good men, and com- 
passion for those who are wicked — the spirit of devo- 
tion — hungering and thirsting after righteousness — 
holy meditation, and joy in the Holy Ghost. These 
and such like things, constitute the religion of the 
heart : and without the religion of the heart we are 
assuredly hypocrites. 

On supposition that our religious feelings do re- 
main, it nevertheless behooves us carefully to ex- 
amine their nature ; but if they have all, like smoke, 
vanished away, it is decisive proof against us. It is 
a dangerous opinion, which seems to be entertained 
by some, that a Christian's inward experiences, such 
as deep sorrow for sin, and holy joy in God, are 
chiefly confined to the day of his espousals, the time 
of his being born into the kingdom. This, it is true, 
is the beginning of his experimental knowledge of 
divine things, but it is not the end of it. Nor is it by 
any means the highest pitch of that knowledge. How 
comparatively ignorant and inexperienced is the 
young convert. How little does he at first know 
either of God or himself, in comparison to what he 
knows afterwards ! As he grows in grace, sin appears 
increasingly loathsome, and holiness more attractive. 
He has more enlarged desires to be filled with love to 
God and love to men, and to have his enjoyment of 
the light of God's countenance uninterrupted. 

Let us, who profess to be subjects of regeneration, 
ask ourselves, as under the eye of the great Omnis- 
cient, whether the incorruptible seed has remained 
within us. Has it been deepening its root in our 
hearts ? Has our experimental religion come along 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 207 

down with us thus far in life ? Have those religious 
affections, which we considered as evidential of a 
transformation of character, remained with us until 
now? Are our thoughts much upon God? Do we 
cherish the spirit of prayer ; and if at any time it 
subsides, do we feel unhappy till it is regained ? Let 
us be entreated, brethren, not to indulge a hope that 
we are Christians, unless we can perceive the seed 
of the word remaining in us; unless we can perceive 
that there is a work of divine grace kept up, and even 
advancing in our souls. If we have Dot something in 
our experience that tallies with the description which 
Christ gave of his living and springing water, what 
ought we to conclude ? We must not conclude that 
in describing that water he mistook its qualities, but 
rather that we have made a mistake and drank some- 
thing else in its room. 

2. With this subject before us, we can see, that 
so far as there is a deficiency in our practical religion, 
there is less evidence of the existence of that which 
is experimental. Just so far as the life is wrong 
there is want of evidence that the heart is right*. 
Concerning the genuine convert the apostle asserts, 
" His seed remaineth in him 5 and he cannot sin, be- 
cause he is born of God." This was as much as to 
tell us, that the abiding of the inward principle of 
holiness would regulate the external conduct. There 
are some, whose external religion is nearly all laid 
aside, who nevertheless seem confident that their 
inward religion remains. But surely, if they had the 
salt in themselves, they would be savory in their 
speech and behavior. If they had the internal light 



208 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

in their hearts, their light would shine before men. 
If the water of life were springing up within them, it 
would flow out in works of piety and benevolence. 
The Savior who taught us that the water of life 
would continue to spring up in the heart of him who 
drank it, taught also, that it would flow out in fertili- 
zing streams ; for he said, " He that believeth on me, 
as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow 
rivers of living water." 

A false conversion is no doubt sometimes followed 
by inward experiences. But as these experiences 
are of the same nature as the conversion, they do 
not ensure a life of external obedience, like those 
which flow from a genuine work of the Spirit. They, 
being based on selfishness, form no principle on which 
dependence can be made, that the man who is the 
subject of them will have respect unto all God's 
commandments. But true experimental religion is 
God's law written on the table of the heart. Such 
religion is holiness in affections, while the religion of 
the life is holiness in actions. He who has holy af- 
fections will have holy actions : he who has a pure 
heart will have clean hands. Therefore, he whose 
hands are not clean, has reason to conclude that his 
heart is not pure. 

Brethren, let us examine ourselves in relation to 
this matter. Do we evince our acquaintance with 
the religion of the heart by the religion of the life ? 
Do we live soberly, righteously and godly in this 
present world ? As it would be foolish for us to ima- 
gine ourselves to be subjects of the new birth, had 
we never discovered any change in our internal man, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 209 

in our feelings towards God and things divine ; so it 
will be preposterous for us to think we are translated 
into the kingdom of God's dear Son, if it has led to 
no change in our external conduct, if we still live 
according to the course of this evil world. While 
the outside may be much better than the inside, it 
will never be worse. Therefore let none of us pre- 
tend to a good heart, so long as we have a bad life. 

3. With this subject before us we may see of what 
importance it is that we compare one part of the sa- 
cred volume with another, and one part of the system 
of truth with the other parts ; else we shall destroy 
the harmony of the system, and set inspiration con- 
tending with itself. Were we to catch at mere sounds, 
without looking at the scope or connection of a pas- 
sage, the words of our text might lead us to adopt 
this monstrous sentiment : That every regenerate man 
is at once both sinless and incapable of sinning ; that 
no subject of this change ever commits a single sin, 
external or internal, but is as free from moral pollu- 
lution as the spirits of just men in glory. Now that 
such a sentiment would be contrary to Scripture and 
fact, will be acknowledged by all, not excepting the 
greatest errorists in the world. Yet the words, when 
taken in an isolated state, without comparing them 
with the context or Scripture in general, might very 
naturally lead to such a sentiment. 

Were we to suffer ourselves to handle the word of 
God in this deceitful manner, we might seem to prove 
that the blind man, spoken of in the 9th chapter of 
John, and his parents too, were an exception from the 
general depravity of our race ; because Jesus said, 
19* 



210 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

" Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents." 
Take this deceitful method of disconnecting a pas- 
sage from its context, and you might prove, that in 
the day of judgment God will approbate every hu- 
man being, let his character be good or bad: for 
Paul declares, in the 4th chapter of his first epistle to 
the Corinthians, " And then shall every man have 
praise of God." But because we have it in our 
power, by disconnecting a passage from the scrip- 
ture which surrounds it, to make it speak a language 
in contrariety to the connected system of inspired 
truth, it does not follow that it is right or safe to do 
so. God expects us to read his word with as much 
candor as we read any other book ; not to see what 
curious schemes of doctrine we can build upon de- 
tached passages ; but rather for the purpose of ma- 
king ourselves acquainted with that pure and har- 
monious system which is supported by the concurrent 
testimony of all its parts. 

4. This subject may afford some aid in meeting the 
plausible arguments of those who say that sinless 
perfection, which is a matter of universal obligation, 
and in a sense attainable by all, is actually attained 
by a certain part of the disciples of Christ. In the 
text it is declared, " Whosoever is born of God doth 
not commit sin, — and he cannot sin." Where will 
they find another passage which seems more like up- 
holding their peculiar sentiments than this? And 
yet, if this proves any thing for them, it proves too 
much : for they do not go so far as to believe that 
every one, who has experienced the renewing of the 
Holy Ghost, is a sinless character. As soon as they 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 211 

have explained our text, so as to make it accord with 
their views of perfection, they have put it in our 
power to take from them all their armor wherein they 
trusted. Do they plead in favor of their sentiment, 
that some of the saints are said to be perfect ? we 
may answer, they are all thus denominated. David 
uses the epithets perfect and upright as being synony- 
mous; and Paul speaks of every spiritual man as 
being a perfect man. See Ps. 37: 37. 1 Cor. 2: 
6, 15. 

Some will say, If language so descriptive of entire 
purity does not mean entire purity, how can it be 
known that sinless perfection is ever to be enjoyed by 
the children of God, even in heaven itself? To this 
it may be replied, that it is not very difficult to deter- 
mine when words expressive of moral purity are to 
be understood in their perfect, and when in their im- 
perfect sense. When such words are applied to God, 
we know they must be understood in their fullest 
latitude. So also when they are applied to his com- 
mands, whether those commands are given to crea- 
tures perfectly or imperfectly holy, or even to those 
who have no holiness at all. Therefore when the 
Savior says, " Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven 
is perfect," the perfection required must be that which 
has no mixture of sin with it. Also when perfection 
describes the mark at which the Christian aims, the 
word must be understood in the sinless sense ; for 
nothing less than such perfection will satisfy the long- 
ing soul of him who is born from above. Phil. 3 : 
11-14. But when any words expressive of moral 
purity are employed to describe the character which 



212 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

the saints on earth possess, or the attainments in ho- 
liness which they have actually made, the whole 
tenor of Scripture obliges us to understand them in a 
restricted sense. 

Let us read God's word with a child-like simplicity, 
comparing one part of it with another, and there 
is very little danger of our running into any funda- 
mental error. But where that child-like simplicity is 
wanting, the danger is great that we shall imbibe 
some fatal heresy, which, when carried out into its 
legitimate results, will subvert the whole system of 
gospel truth. It behooves us, in the character of 
Bible readers, to be clothed with humility ; praying 
with the Psalmist, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be 
safe. — Open thou mine eyes that I may behold won- 
drous things out of thy law." 



LECTURE XL 

A CLAIM TO SINLESS PERFECTION A SIGN OF AN UN- 
REGENERATE STATE. 

" If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and 
the truth is not in us." — I John 1 : 8. 

That religion is necessary to our acceptance with 
God is certain. And were all religion of such a 
character as to render us acceptable, we should need 
no lines of demarkation ? except between religion and 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 213 

irreligion. But we find the Scriptures filled with 
discriminations between that religion which is gen- 
uine and that which is spurious. To draw these dis- 
criminating lines is a leading object of the whole 
epistle which furnishes our text. Two classes of 
discriminating marks are placed before us ; the one 
describing true religion as distinguished from false ; 
and the other describing the false as distinguished 
from the true. To the last of these two classes be- 
longs the passage which I have selected for my text. 
To prepare us to understand and apply the import- 
ant truth which it inculcates, it concerns us, 

First, to ascertain whether the discriminating 
mark which it presents is to be understood as full 
proof of a graceless state. Some may imagine it to 
be a mark which only denotes a low degree of piety, 
yet not an entire destitution of it. This then is the 
first thing which it behooves us to ascertain. Is our 
saying " that we have no sin," (in the sense of this 
passage.) full proof that we have no religion, that 
is, none which is genuine ? That it is declared to be 
full proof of this, I think is very evident. 

1. All the other marks of discrimination, which are 
laid down in this epistle, appear to be decisive, either 
for or against our religion. This makes it reasona- 
ble to believe that the mark laid down in the text is 
so to be considered. Some of the other tests of 
character, with which this epistle abounds, are as 
follows : " We know that we have passed from death 
unto to life, because we love the brethren. He that 
loveth not his brother, abideth in death." Again, 
" Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth 



214 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God." Again ? 
" Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not : whosoever 
sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him." It is 
in harmony with the whole epistle, and the Scrip- 
tures in general, to understand the unfavorable cri- 
terion which is now before us, whatever it is, to be 
decisive proof of unregeneracy. 

2. The language of the text itself indicates it to 
be a decisive mark — a mark designed to prove, not a 
low degree of piety, but an entire destitution of it. 
Two different expressions are used, both of which 
imply such a destitution. " If we say that we have 
no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 
The expression, " we deceive ourselves," implies an 
entire mistake in relation to our character. The 
meaning is not, that we deceive ourselves in think- 
ing that we are so perfect as to have no sin ; but 
rather, in thinking that we are the subjects of re- 
generation. This is what the apostles Paul and 
James meant by deception j when the one said, " If 
a man thinketh himself to be something when he is 
nothing, he deceiveth himself" and the other, u If any 
man among you seem to be religious, and bridieth 
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's 
religion is vain." 

But if the expression, we deceive ourselves, might 
intend something less than an entire mistake concern- 
ing our character, the other expression, namely, the 
truth is not in us, shows that nothing less than an en- 
tire destitution of grace can be intended. This same 
expression occurs in the early part of the next chap- 
ter ; and in that place a destitution of grace is clear- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 215 

\y meant. The passage is this : " He that saith, I 
know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a 
liar, and the truth is not in him." For any one to 
have the truth in him, implies something more than 
a speculative orthodoxy. It is to have the heart 
brought into conformity to the truth by the power of 
the Holy Ghost. This truth which lives and abides 
in the heart, is that which makes the saint differ from 
the sinner ; therefore, to be destitute of this makes 
the sinner to differ from the saint. 

But there is no necessity of my dwelling on this 
part of the subject ; since among those who are quite 
disagreed as to the meaning of the text, considered 
as a whole, there is not, to my knowledge, any dis- 
agreement as to the point which I am now seeking to 
establish ; all agree that they who, in the spirit of the 
text, say they have no sin, are in reality under its 
complete dominion. 

Second. The matter being established, by con- 
cession as well as by fair exposition, that they who 
assert that they have no sin, evince their entire des- 
titution of holiness, it next concerns us to ascertain 
what we are to understand by this assertion. This 
is the hinge on which the whole subject turns. A 
mistake here may prove a serious injury to the cause 
of truth. 

There is a sense in which God claims for all the 
subjects of grace, that they are perfect, — that they 
do no iniquity, and do not commit sin. Now in the 
same sense in which He claims perfection and free- 
dom from sin for his children, they may claim it for 
themselves, without incurring the charge of hypo- 



216 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

crisy. Whatever degree of holiness the Scriptures 
authorize us to believe that any of the children of God 
attain to in the present life, to that degree an indivi- 
dual believer may profess to have attained, and yet 
not subject himself to be considered as a graceless 
man. But to say, in the sense of the text 5 1 have no 
sin, would be decisive evidence against him. Hence 
it is indubitable, that the thing which the apostle de- 
clares to be such a sure index of self-deception, can 
be nothing else than a claim to an entire sinless- 
ness, either by asserting that we have never sinned. 
or that we are completely sanctified. One or the 
other must undoubtedly be intended. And I am per- 
suaded that a careful investigation of the matter will 
enable us to decide which it is : whether an exemp- 
tion from all past, or from all present depravity. That 
the latter, namely, an exemption from all present de- 
pravity, by means of a complete sanctification, is the 
thing intended, I will now attempt to show. 

1st. This interpretation is the most obvious. The 
assertion, " we have no sin," being in the present 
tense, most naturally implies a claim to a present ex- 
emption from a state of depravity. It would hardly 
be natural to give such a construction to this asser- 
tion as to make it imply a claim to a perfection of 
character running back to the birth. 

2dly. It is incredible that any of the members of 
the Christian church should aver that they had never 
sinned ; and yet it is evident that church members 
were the very persons designed to be reached by this 
mark of hypocrisy. If in a world so evidently de- 
praved as this, and a world where a remedial system is 



i 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 217 

known to have been introduced, any portion of its in- 
habitants are heard to say, " we have no sin," it is 
altogether most natural to suppose they refer to their 
improved, rather than to their original character ; 
and certainly if they who make the assertion be- 
long to the church of Christ, which is a community 
wholly composed of such as profess to be redeemed 
by his blood, we are constrained to understand them 
to refer to what they are as Christians, not to what 
they are as men. Surely it could never have been 
anticipated that any would presume to say, that from 
the beginning of their days they had never been de- 
filed with sin, and yet claim to be disciples of Jesus : 
whose very name was an open declaration, that to 
save his people from their sins was his errand into 
the world. 

3dly. The interpretation of the text which I have 
adopted, is much confirmed, if not made certain, by 
the history of the church. Facts often prove to be 
good expositors of Scripture. Now it is a well known 
fact, that the Christian church has had members who 
have claimed for themselves a perfect deliverance 
from sin ; but I know not that any professed Chris- 
tian, or even any other man, has ever seriously de- 
clared that in all his life he had never committed a 
sin. It is well known that there have been heretics r 
whose doctrines and practices have disgraced the 
Christian name, who have at the same time made 
pretensions to a sinless perfection — a perfection which 
they claimed to have received from Christ. But 
where are the heretics who have presumed to say, 
that before their acquaintance with Christ, even 
20 



218 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

from their birth, they were free from all the stains of 
sin? Now if a case of this kind has never been 
known to occur, while cases of the other kind, and 
some of them of a very flagrant character, have 
occurred with frequency, is it not reasonable to 
believe, that it was the evil which was foreseen that 
was provided against, rather than the one which was 
never to come into existence ? 

4thly. There is something in the context, to ren- 
der this interpretation of the text probable ; unless 
we should believe spotless holiness to be the only 
contrast there is to an unregenerate life : and few. 
even among the Perfectionists, go to this extreme. 
The apostle had just declared, " If we say we have 
fellowship with him, and walk in darkness," (that is, 
live in sin,) " we lie, and do not the truth." He then 
added, " But if we walk in the light as he is in the 
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the 
blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all 
sin" Now since he had declared, that living in sin 
was evidence against the genuineness of one's reli- 
gion, also that true Christians are cleansed from all 
sin, it seemed proper that he should guard against 
such a misconstruction of what he had said, as 
would lead them to imagine he taught the doctrine 
that all the saints were absolutely sinless characters. 
There was an evident call for him to disavow such a 
sentiment, and here was the place to do it. Now, 
provided it be true not only that some of the saints, 
but even all of them have a degree of sin remaining 
in their hearts, it was natural that in this connection 
he should state the fact: and that for the twofold 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 219 

purpose, first, of preserving from despair those who 
are deeply sensible of the remains of depravity which 
cleave to them ; and secondly, of undermining the 
hopes of such as think they have already attained to 
perfection. If the Spirit of inspiration intended by 
the words of the text, to teach that some of God's 
children are sinfully imperfect, it was clearly his in- 
tention to teach that this is true, in relation to them 
all. 

I am aware that this explanation which I have 
given of the text, is thought, by our opponents, to be 
set aside by the next verse but one in succession, 
which reads thus: " If we say that we have not sin- 
ned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 
But how does this set it aside ? How does this 
prove, that in the text the present tense is used for 
the past 1 If one tense must reign, and the other 
submit, is it not reasonable that the past should 
submit to the present; since this was the tense 
which was first used ; but more especially since 
the history of the church is not known to have 
furnished a single example of such a heresy, as 
would justify us in making the tense of the text 
submit to that of the context ? 

Is it not more rational to understand the averment 
which is made by these heretics, when they say. 
"We have not sinned," to refer to that period of 
their life which was subsequent to their conversion, 
or to that crisis in their religious experience, when 
they thought they were sanctified, (that is, complete- 
ly,) rather than to understand it to refer to their 
whole life, reaching back to the day wherein they 



220 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

were born?* But should we grant, that it might 
have been the design of a verse in our context, to 
put the church on her guard against a heresy which 
she has never yet known, this can afford no sufficient 
reason why we should not understand our text to 
describe a heresy which has an actual existence, 
and which has sometimes appeared in such a loath- 
some garb, as to frighten the more sober part of the 
same brotherhood. 

5thly. I will now refer you to several parallel 
passages which give confirmation to our construction 
of the text. In one of these the demand is made, 
" Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am 
pure from my sin ?" In another we are told, " There 
is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet 
is not washed from their filthiness." In the first of 
these passages it seems to be taken for granted, that 
not an individual can be found on earth who has any 
right to say, "I am pure from my sin." But the 

* In the second chapter of this epistle, there is a similar 
example of the change of tenses. The apostle says, " I write 
unto you, fathers, — I write unto you, young men :" and then 
he changes the tense by saying, " I have written unto you, 
fathers, — I have written unto you, young men." But when 
he says, " I have written unto you," there is no reason to sup- 
pose that he refers to any other epistle than that which he was 
then writing. So in the first chapter, there seems no reason 
to doubt that it is the same sentiment that he first communi- 
cates in the use of the present tense, which he afterwards ex- 
presses in the past ; viz. this: That a ciaim to an entire free- 
dom from sin, is decisive proof that the truth has no lodg- 
ment in the heart. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 221 

other supposes, that there is a whole generation — a 
perpetuated generation — who are pure in their own 
eyes, when in God's sight they are wholly impure, 
having never been washed from their filthiness. 

In the commencement of the book of Job, we hear 
the Lord declare concerning him, that he was a per- 
fect man, and that there was not his like in the earth ; 
and yet in a subsequent part of the book we hear 
Job make this declaration concerning himself: (i If I 
say I am perfect, it shall prove me perverse." If we 
take these two declarations in connection, they en- 
tirely agree with the teaching of our apostle. He 
labors to show that those who have fellowship with 
a God of holiness do not walk in darkness, do not 
live in sin ; for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth 
from all sin. And yet he adds, " If we say that we 
have no sin, we deceive ourselves." The Lord de- 
clared that Job was a perfect man ; and there was a 
sense in which this was true, else the Lord would 
never have made such a declaration. There was 
also a sense in which Job could not say that he was 
perfect, without its proving him perverse. There is 
a sense in which it is proper to say of good men, that 
they do not commit sin; and yet there is another 
sense in which their claiming to be without sin, is an 
evidence against the soundness of their piety. 

6thly. I will mention one reason more for adopting 
the belief, that by the assertion, " We have no sin," is 
meant a claim, not to an immaculate innocence, but 
to an entire sanctification. And my reason is this •* 
that such a construction of the text has no collision, 
but an evident agreement with the common repre- 
20* 



222 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

sentation which the Scriptures make of the reno- 
vated character. Had the Scriptures made this rep- 
resentation concerning good men in general, or even 
concerning the best of them, that "they arrive at a 
sinless state while tabernacling in the flesh, then we 
should be obliged to understand the declaration, 
" We have no sin," to refer to past rather than to re- 
maining sinfulness ; for in that case it might be con- 
sistent with truth that at least some of their number 
should claim a present entire freedom from sin. But 
as matters are, there seems to be no necessity for so 
understanding it : for such are the Bible descriptions 
of good men, whether they are given in the abstract, 
or in biographical sketches of their lives, as to show 
us that, while they are the salt of the earth, they are 
not without their moral defects. " If they sin against 
thee," said Solomon, " for there is no man that sin- 
neth not." This confession of the universal sinful- 
ness of mankind, without excepting any of God's 
own people, he made in the solemn act of prayer. 
Again, with the pen of inspiration in his hand, he 
makes this humiliating record: " There is not a just 
man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not." 
In accordance with this the apostle James declares, 
" In many things we offend all " — not that we offend 
altogether, but that we all offend in some degree. 
In the biographical sketches which we have of some 
of the best men under both Testaments, certain 
things are recorded to their disadvantage. Their 
imperfect sanctiflcation was sometimes made to ap- 
pear by their external deviations from God's law. 
This was true concerning such men as Abraham and 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 223 

Moses and the apostles of Christ. It is evident that 
the wonderful effusion of the Spirit on the day of 
Pentecost, and afterwards, did not complete the sanc- 
tification of the apostles. Acts 15 : 39. Gal. 2:11. 

Even in externals the children of God are not 
wholly without spot ; but their outward deportment 
has a nearer conformity to the divine rule than the 
feelings and affections of their hearts. Holiness and 
sin do, in the most proper sense, exist in the hearts of 
moral agents, and no where else. Here it is that we 
get a view of the real beauty of holiness and the de- 
formity of sin. External action is not always a true 
index of the feelings of the heart. While the Scrip- 
tures lead us to expect, that the display of holiness 
in the lives of the saints will be equal to the strength 
of the holy principle which is within them, they do 
not teach us to expect that we shall see as much evil 
displayed in the external conduct as is found in 
their hearts. The outside of the cup and platter 
may be cleansed, while the inside is perfectly filthy ; 
but, in the moral world, as soon as their inside is 
cleansed, their outside will be clean also. That is. 
they will be as clean without as they are within. 

If the Scripture had left us to form our esti- 
mate of the good men and good women, whom it in- 
troduces to our acquaintance, merely by those exter- 
nal actions which it attributes to them, it might have 
been more easy to believe that some of their number 
were free from sinful imperfection. But to prevent 
us from thinking of them above what we ought to 
think, it has made us acquainted with the man within 
as well as the man without. By the light of God's 



224 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

word we iearn that men may have what is termed a 
blameless life, while they are conscious that they 
possess many unsanctified affections. They are con- 
scious of having the flesh lust against the spirit so 
powerfully, as to prevent their doing the things they 
would ; and yet they are restrained from overt acts 
of transgression — from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. 
Gal. 5 : 16, 17. Now it should never be forgotten 
that in Scripture account, the sin which exists in the 
heart is both hateful and criminal, even when it is so 
effectually suppressed as not to be suffered to go 
forth into external acts of disobedience. 

In reading the psalms of David and the epistles of 
Paul, we become acquainted with the feelings as 
well as the actions of their authors. That their feel- 
ings were not wholly of a holy character we are as- 
sured by their own lestimony. [See Ps. 19 : 12 ; 32 : 
3-5; 40: 12; 119: 25, 176. Rom. 7: 14-25. Phil. 
3 : 12-14. 2 Cor. 12 : 7.] If such men as David and 
Paul discovered in their sanctified minds a current of 
sinful affections, setting up strongly against the work 
which God's Spirit was carrying on in them, it cer- 
tainly adds credibility to the interpretation which has 
been given of the text. " Alas !" said John Newton, 
" how much faintness and unfruitfulness has the Lord 
borne with from me. Indeed I am almost continually 

a burden to myself. But through mercy the evils 

I feel are confined within myself: but the Lord keeps 
me from stumbling outwardly." I do not bring for- 
ward the experience of Newton to prove a doctrine, 
as I do that of David and of Paul : but when the most 
amiable among the professed disciples of Christ in 



IMPERFECTION OF CHFtlSTIANS. 225 

these latter days, appear to be conscious of great de- 
fects in the obedience of the inner man, at the very 
time when no blot cleaves to their hands, I think it 
not improper to refer to them as circumstantial proof 
that we have not mistaken the language of the Bible 
saints, when we have represented them as bewailing 
the power of indwelling sin : — and that we have not 
mistaken our text in supposing that the condemnation 
it pronounces on those who say that they have no sin, 
falls on such as claim to have reached a state of per- 
fect sanctification. 

Third. Having first shown the dangerous condi- 
tion of those who deceive themselves when they say 
that they have no sin ; and secondly offered reasons, 
which to my own mind appear satisfactory, for be- 
lieving that they who thus deceive themselves are 
such as claim to have attained to perfect sanctifica- 
tion ; I deem it proper, in the third place, to show 
some reasons why the claim to perfect sanctification, 
should be considered as decisive proof that they who 
make it have no sanctification at all. 

But here I would remark, that whether the reasons 
which I shall offer appear forcible or not, there is no 
appeal from the decision of God's word. If the thing 
which is condemned in the text, is a claim to the at- 
tainment of a perfect sanctification, (and I do not see 
the least reason for understanding it to mean any 
thing else,) such claim is declared to be full proof of 
self-deception, and a destitution of the saving know- 
ledge of divine truth. What if we should think that 
this ought never to have been placed among the 
signs of a graceless state; let us remember that the 



226 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

Author of the Scriptures understands this subject 
better than we do. Remember that our Divine 
Teacher said, " That which is highly esteemed 
among men is abomination in the sight of God." A 
doctrine which men applaud as remarkably holy in 
its nature and tendency, may nevertheless prove to 
be nothing better than a blighting heresy. 

Every error is harmful, but every error is not fatal 
and does not therefore authorize us to say to the er- 
rorist, " I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness 
and bond of iniquity." But if it be a matter which 
relates to Christian experience, and of such a nature 
as to be incompatible with a work of grace in the 
heart, it cannot be adopted by any of the subjects of 
grace. And is not the error in question manifestly 
of this nature ? All will grant that those men who 
have not seen themselves to be sinners, give no evi- 
dence that they are saints. To the self-righteous 
Pharisees Christ said, " But now ye say, We see ; 
therefore your sin remaineth." Their insensibility 
to their spiritual blindness was the argument by 
which he proved that their blindness still remained. 
His argument was based on the assumption, that it 
is not possible we should have our eyes opened by 
the Spirit of God, and yet not discover the sinfulness 
of our own heart. " The spirit of man is the candle 
of the Lord:" and when this candle is lighted up 
by the Holy Spirit, it searches all the inward parts 
of the soul. Every man thus illuminated must 
know the plague of his own heart. Prov. 20: 27. 
1 Kings 8 : 38. If the denial of original depravity 
is a proof of unregeneracy, is not a denial of remain- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 227 

ing depravity an equally clear proof of it; provided 
it be a fact that depravity does still remain in the 
heart?* 

By the grace of regeneration a principle of holi- 
ness is introduced into the heart of a sinner, which 
gives him a new conviction of the evil nature of sin : 
and this principle, being preserved by subsequent 
sanctification, secures a continuance of that convic- 
tion. Sanctification is a progressive work. As it 
progresses, the strength of indwelling sin is dimin- 
ished. But this very circumstance renders the sin 
which yet remains a more noticeable object, as well 
as a more uncomfortable inmate. The progress of 
holiness in the heart of the Christian improves his 
spiritual discernment so that he is enabled to per- 
ceive with more distinctness the beauty of holiness 
and the deformity of sin. The apostle intimates that 

* " Many there are in the world who find not this law [that 
is, the law of indwelling sin] in them ; who, whatever they 
may be taught in the word, have not a spiritual sense and ex- 
perience of the power of indwelling sin, and that because they 
are wholly under the dominion of it. They find not that 
there is darkness and folly in their minds, because they are 
darkness itself; and darkness will discover nothing. They 
find not deadness and indisposition in their hearts and wills 
to God, because they are dead wholly in trespasses and sins." 

Owen on Indwelling Sin. 

Again the same author remarks, " It is well with them in- 
deed in whom it [that is, the law of sin] is weakened, and the 
power of it abated. But yet for them who say it is not in 
them, they do but deceive themselves, and there is no truth in 
them." 



228 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

the greater advancement Christians make in their 
religion, the more acute will be their discernment ; 
since "by reason of use they have their senses exer- 
cised to discern both good and evil." Heb. 5 : 14. 
May we not hence conclude, if there is one Christian 
upon earth, in whose heart the principle of sin is 
more weakened than in any of his brethren, that he 
is the one who will be most sensibly burdened with 
the sin which remains? Though he, beyond any 
other individual, enjoys that liberty wherewith Christ 
makes free, yet is there no other man who feels so 
sensibly his bondage. He is more conformed to the 
image of Christ than his brethren; and yet he is 
more grieved than any of them with his want of con- 
formity. 

The idea which I am wishing to convey I will 
now illustrate by something which a child can un- 
derstand. The difference is great, as you all know, 
between the inward part of your hand, and the pupil 
of your eye, as to their sensibility. The eye will 
sensibly feel a substance altogether less in size and 
roughness, than one which will lie in your hand with- 
out being perceived. The least mote will give pain 
to your eye. Its greater tenderness is the cause of 
this difference. Now let us suppose the hand to un- 
dergo a gradual transformation from its natural 
toughness to the tenderness of the eye. As the 
transforming operation advances, it will be made 
evident, by its increased sensibility : and this will be 
discovered by the more acute perception you will 
have of those things which come in contact with it — 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 229 

even those small substances which once would have 
been wholly unperceived. 

If the sentiment be correct, which supposes the 
work of sanctification to remain incomplete until the 
close of our pilgrimage, how is it possible that any 
of the children of God should make such a mistake 
as to think themselves already perfect ? Their inter- 
course with God (if nothing else) must serve to keep 
them apprised of their imperfect sanctification. In 
prayer they all draw nigh unto God from day to day : 
and as they grow in grace, their communion with 
him becomes more intimate. By which means their 
discoveries of the infinite purity of his nature will be 
increasingly clear and vivid ; and this has a power- 
ful tendency to make them more sensible of their re- 
maining depravity. Hence it is, that men of superior 
attainments in piety, and especially when in their 
nearest approaches to God, have been peculiarly af- 
fected with the sinfulness of their hearts. We hear 
one of this description exclaim, " I am a man of un- 
clean lips ; for mine eyes have seen the King, the 
Lord of Hosts:" and another, "But now mine eye. 
seeth thee ; wherefore I abhor myself." Isa. 6 : 5, 
Job 42 : 5, 6. 

The work of the Spirit in the hearts of believers 
gives them a clearer understanding of God's law. 
Therefore as this work advances, their conviction of 
the great extent and spirituality of the law is in- 
creased ; and with it their conviction of the existence 
and evil nature of indwelling corruption; "for by 
the law is the knowledge of sin." They now very 
sensibly feel the force of the apostle's confession, 
21 



230 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

Ci The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under 
sin." Their clearer views of the perfection of divine 
requirements, render it more difficult to overlook 
either their external or internal defects of character. 
Growth in grace tends to give us not only more en- 
larged and impressive views of the holiness of the 
law, but also of the holiness of the gospel. We be- 
come more affected with the holy life of our Redeemer, 
the holy nature of his doctrines, and of that salvation 
which his death procured for the guilty children of 
Adam. 

If sin has any place in the hearts of believers, it 
is under their eye wherever they go : how then can 
they avoid seeing it? Sin is not a dormant, but an 
active principle. " The flesh lusteth against the 
spirit." The subjects of grace are burdened with sin 
more than with any thing else. We can more easily 
conceive how such a man as Paul might have been 
unconscious of any smart from the stripes he received 
on his naked back, or of any inconvenience from 
having his feet confined in the stocks, when he was 
shamefully entreated at Philippi, than to conceive how 
he should have had sin dwelling in his heart, and yet 
have been unconscious of the fact. When, after this, 
he exclaimed, " O wretched man that I am !" he 
seems not to have thought of the stripes, or stocks, or 
shame. He did not ask who should deliver him from 
such evils as these. His inquiry was, " Who shall 
deliver me from the body of this death ?" It was not 
the natural evil which he suffered; but the moral 
evil which he did, either by external acts of disobe- 
dience, or by internal lustings of the flesh against the 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 231 

spirit, which gave that poignant distress to his holy 
mind, and which induced him to call himself a 
wretched man. 

But men who are entirely devoid of holiness have 
no eye to discern the moral evil there is in sin. 
Through their aversion to holiness and love to sin. 
they are prone to form entirely erroneous sentiments 
concerning the nature of both. " They call evil good, 
and good evil." They give to selfishness, which is 
the essence of all the sin in the universe, the name 
of holiness ; especially when it is modeled into the 
form of religion. By this means they think them- 
selves something, when they are nothing. Now 
since they can imagine themselves to be converted 
by a religion which does not infuse any true holiness 
into their hearts, why may they not imagine them- 
selves to be sanctified, even to perfection, by a reli- 
gion of this character 1 They who are described as 
saying, " Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for 
I am holier than thou," were such as had no holiness 
at all. He who said, u God, I thank thee that I am 
not as other men," was intended to represent a sect 
whose religion was wholly unacceptable to a holy 
God. They who said, " We see," were totally blind. 
And it was when Paul was without the law, that he 
was alive. At that period of his life, when he was in 
reality devoid of holiness, he was nothing like such 
a sinner in his own sight, as he was afterwards, when 
grace had not only taken possession of his heart, but 
had made much progress in subduing its native en- 
mity. It is easier for us to conceive how Paul might 
have viewed himself to be a sinless man, while he 



232 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

was totally sinful, than how he could have viewed 
himself so afterwards. We can more easily see how 
the man, who is altogether under the blinding influ- 
ence of sin, can be so deceived as to imagine himself 
to be perfectly holy, than we can see how the regen- 
erated man, who has some remains of sin, can be 
ignorant of this fact.* 



PRACTICAL REMARKS. 

1. With this subject before us it may be seen why 
the great body of Christians, including those denomi- 
nated the Orthodox, have always viewed perfection- 

* It is a clear case that, under the blinding influence of a 
false religion, men who are in their natural state may imagine 
themselves to be sinless characters. The more sober part of 
the Perfectionist school are doubtless convinced, that some of 
the ultra Perfectionists have given melancholy proof, not only 
that they were not entirely sanctified, but that they were en- 
tirely unsanctified. Now if they agree with us (as many of 
them profess to do) in the belief that grace is an abiding prin- 
ciple in every heart where it gets possession, these apostacies 
must serve to convince them, that a man may think himself to 
be something, yea, every thing, when in reality he is nothing, 
— that a man may think he has attained to a perfection of ho- 
liness, when he is an utter stranger to the thing itself. These 
apostates furnish a practical demonstration, (so it must appear 
to all who are believers in the doctrine of the certain perseve- 
rance of the saints,} that men who have not a particle of holi- 
ness may be so deluded as to imagine themselves to be as pure 
as the Holy One of Israel. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 233 

ism as a heresy ; whether it be the perfectionism 
which supposes all the regenerated to be perfect, or 
that which supposes only a part of them to be so.* 
This last branch of perfectionism has not been con- 
sidered so great a heresy as the other. Nor has a 
belief that others have arrived at perfection, been 
considered as equal evidence of an unsound heart, as 
to believe this concerning ourselves. Yet the very 
adoption of a sentiment, whose fallacy one would 
suppose a small knowledge of God's word, together 
with an experimental knowledge of the workings of 
a gracious heart, would qualify any Christian to dis- 
cover, cannot but excite a suspicion that all is not 
right at the foundation. It excites a fear, lest the 
holy character of God has been so altered by their 
scheme of doctrine, as to render it capable of being 
loved by the carnal mind ; lest the law has been so 
far lowered down as to demand nothing more than 
external obedience; or lest the sanctification of which 
it boasts should prove to be something short of true 
holiness ; and its new birth turn out to be nothing 
more than a being born of the will of the flesh, or of 
the will of man. 

* The sinful imperfection of all the saints on earth, is one 
of the leading Articles of Faith, given us by the Westminster 
Assembly of Divines in their Shorter Catechism. To the 
question, " Is any man able perfectly to keep the command- 
ments of God V they return this answer : " No mere man, 
since the fall, is able [that is, morally able — has grace enough] 
in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but 
doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed." 
21* 



234 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

Perfectionism, in its least objectionable form, serves 
to furnish a hiding place for some of the wildest fa- 
natics which have ever been known in the church. 
From this hiding place there seems to be no way to 
drive them, except by pulling it down. If you at- 
tempt to convince them that they are building on the 
sand, because they do not do, as well as hear the 
sayings of Christ, they are not disturbed at all. You 
may convict them of gross profanations of the Sab- 
bath, of the neglect of family and sanctuary wor- 
ship, and even of flagrant breaches of the seventh 
commandment ; and yet they can reconcile it all with 
a sinless state. Perhaps they will acknowledge that 
it might be a sin for you to do such things ; but in 
them it is no sin, because their minds have become so 
pure as to sanctify all their acts. Now these deluded 
fellow-creatures heed something to awaken them from 
their dream. They need the very doctrine furnished 
by our text. We want to be able to show them, 
that their very claim to an entire freedom from sin, 
proves them to be the servants of sin. But the other 
class of Perfectionists, who agree with us in con- 
demning these wild vagaries and foolish pretensions 
of theirs to an extraordinary sanctity, do, neverthe- 
less, stand in the way to hinder our pulling down the 
strong-hold in which their brethren have entrenched 
themselves. They unite with them in bringing the 
same passages to support the doctrine of sinless per- 
fection, and they present the same objections to those 
which we adduce to establish the fact, that the 
saints on earth are in a state of moral conflict. 
2. In the light of this subject it maybe seen, why 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 235 

it is that some recognition of remaining depravity, 
serves to augment our confidence in the genuineness 
of any one's religion. His depravity is surely no 
part of his religion ; but his discovery of it, especial- 
ly of its vile and hateful nature, constitutes an es- 
sential part of it. If there is no time in the life of 
the Christian, when he can say in truth, " I have no 
sin," we wish to see him deeply sensible of this hu- 
miliating fact. While his remaining depravity ren- 
ders him less attractive than he would be, were he 
perfect, we are pleased to find a distinct recognition 
of this depravity in the account he gives us of his 
religious exercises, whether by his mouth or his pen. 
But why are we pleased 1 Not because we are 
pleased with sin ; or gratified to find other Christians 
no better than ourselves. But since God himself 
has described his children on earth as being univer- 
sally imperfect in their renovated character, and also, 
as conscious of this imperfection, we wish to see this 
consciousness, as one, among other evidences, of a 
sound conversion. When we come across a biogra- 
phy, purporting to be that of a Christian^ we are anx- 
ious to discover evidence that the man knew the 
plague of his own heart. Should his journal speak 
much of his holy affections, and yet make no men- 
tion of any conflict with indwelling sin, this circum- 
stance would diminish our hope relative to the gen- 
uineness of his religion. Such an account of his 
sanctified affections, when accompanied with no ac- 
knowledgment of remaining depravity, would seem 
to be a virtual declaration that he had no sin ; and 



236 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

this we have seen is stigmatized as a striking index 
of a false hope. 

The sins of David form a dark shade in the moral 
picture of that holy man : but those repeated ac- 
knowledgments of his sin, both external and internal, 
which we find in his Psalms, constitute a very bright, 
part of the picture. And I would say that, in my 
opinion, they greatly err who think they render the 
Christian experience of Paul more attractive, by 
taking from it that conflict with indwelling sin, of 
which he gives us such a graphic description in the 
seventh chapter of his epistle to the Romans, and 
placing it among those conflicts which he had before 
he became a soldier of the cross. According to the 
views which we have formed of the Christian charac- 
ter, the clear discoveries which the apostle had of his 
remaining depravity, together with the pungent dis- 
tress it occasioned him, are among the brightest evi- 
dences both of the soundness of his conversion, and 
of his uncommon advancement in the divine life. 

In this connection, suffer me to introduce a few 
short extracts from the biographies of Payson and 
Brainerd, two men whose characters have been gen- 
erally known in the religious world. In both these 
biographies, there is nothing more prominent than 
their acknowledgment of sinful imperfection. Pay- 
son, in a letter to his mother, has this remark : " I 
hav^e long considered a growing acquaintance with 
the desperate wickedness and surpassing deceitful- 
ness of the heart, as almost the only mark of a real 
Christian which Satan cannot counterfeit." At a 
later period of life, his journal furnishes us with this 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 237 

striking confession of his remaining depravity : " I 
used to think that repentance and confession bore 
some small proportion to my sins ; but now there 
seems to be no more proportion between them than 
between finite and infinite. 1 can see that I once 
trusted much to my repentance, but now my repent- 
ance seems one of my worst sins, on account of its 
exceeding imperfection." He adds, " I see more 
and more how exceedingly little there is of spirit- 
uality in my best affections." Brainerd at a certain 
time exclaims, " Oh, the pressure of a body of 
death !" At another time he says, " I do not re- 
member ever to have had more clear apprehensions 
of religion in my life : but found a struggle in the 
evening with spiritual pride." Late in life, while 
taking a retrospect of what was past, he remarks, 
u I could discover much corruption attending my 
best duties, many selfish views and carnal ends, 
much spiritual pride and self-exaltation, and innu- 
merable other evils which compassed me about." 

3. It may be fairly inferred from this subject, that 
an expectation of arriving at a sinless state in the 
present life is not the necessary, nor the best means 
for the improvement of the Christian character. 
The force of this inference will be felt by all those 
who believe that the doctrine of the text has been 
correctly stated ; for surely none will pretend that 
false representations constitute any proper means of 
grace. By placing a stigma on all pretensions to 
sinless perfection in the present life, God seems clear- 
ly to have taught us that he does not design to bring 
the work of sanctification to such perfection, even in 



238 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

a single instance. He has hereby shown that those 
words which he had spoken long before by the month 
of Solomon, declaring, " There is not a just man 
upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not," were 
designed to apply to every part and period of the 
world. If it is clearly revealed that there is never 
on the earth a just man who is sinJess, and that there 
is no one who can claim such perfection, without its 
proving him perverse, it is certain that God has not 
made the expectation of attaining to such perfection 
while on earth, the necessary means of stirring up 
his people to press toward the mark. Must we be- 
lieve that the latter-day glory of the church is to 
burst upon the world this year, or even the next, to 
prompt us to pray and use other means to hasten its 
introduction ? We acknowledge that on our part 
and that of our fellow-men, it is sin which keeps back 
the Millennium a single year. We also acknow- 
ledge that on the part of the saints there is no excuse 
for the least degree of imperfection. God's command 
and our obligation are the same : " Be ye perfect, 
even as your Father in heaven is perfect." 

I hope, my brethren, that you will not consider a 
discourse which is designed to show the sinful imper- 
fection of saints, to be the same as an apology for 
their remaining sinfulness. You might as well say 
that a sermon, which proves that all the unregenerate 
are in a state of total depravity, constitutes an apology 
for that depravity; and that a sermon, which proves 
that sinners are so wicked that they will never repent 
without the special grace of God, is a justification of 
their impenitence. My object has been to show that 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 239 

it is a fact, a humiliating fact, that the best Christians 
on earth are sinfully imperfect ; and that all preten- 
sions to sinless perfection are to be considered as 
proofs of self-ignorance. Now if this be truth, it is 
undoubtedly adapted to promote, and not to retard 
the work of sanctification. But while error is always 
dangerous, even truth is liable to be perverted. 
Some of us may flatter ourselves that we are real 
Christians, merely because we make no pretensions 
to be perfect Christians. But we ought to remember 
that a claim to complete deliverance from sin, is not 
the only mark of self-deception which is found in 
the Bible. There is another mark of it that stands 
in the neighborhood of the text, which is equally 
infallible ; it is this : " He that saith I know him, and 
keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the 
truth is not in him." If our believing that all saints 
are sinfully imperfect, makes us think more lightly of 
the evil of sin, it is a manifest abuse of the doctrine? 
and is no symptom in our favor. If our belief makes 
us remiss in seeking after great attainments in piety 
where is the evidence that we love holiness ? While, 
with Paul, we profess not to have already attained to 
perfection, let us, with him, make perfection the mark 
toward which, laying aside every weight, we con- 
stantly press. 

The personal holiness of saints is a matter of im- 
mense importance. In relation to the true riches, as 
well as to the wealth of this world, it is the hana 
the diligent that maketh rich. To accumulate, must 
be the Christian's daily business. The command is 
not only " Have grace," but " Grow in grace." 



240 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

" Herein," said Christ, " is my Father glorified, that 
ye bear much fruit : so shall ye be my disciples." 
The bearing of much fruit will both glorify God and 
evince our discipleship. But we shall bear no such 
fruit as will glorify God, except we have a vital union 
to the true Vine : and to enable us to bear much fruit, 
the union must be intimate. May our attention to 
the means of grace be so diligent, and our attain- 
ments in piety so manifest, that they, who are disposed 
to impute our belief in the doctrine of the moral im- 
perfection of Christians, to the meagerness of our 
desires after holiness, may be convinced of their 
mistake. In this way we shall do honor to the Or- 
thodox creed, and at the same time do honor to that 
worthy name by which we are called. 



LECTURE XII. 

THE CHURCH, HAVING BEAUTIES AS WELL AS DE- 
FORMITIES, CLAIMS THAT THE REPULSIVENESS OF 
THE LATTER SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO CON- 
CEAL THE ATTRACTIONS OF THE FORMER. 

" I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as 
the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not 
upon me, because I am black "—Song of Solomon, 1 : 5,6. 

The Song of Solomon was incorporated with the 
other sacred books, long before the advent of the 
Savior. Had it been, what some seem to suppose, a 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 241 

common nuptial song, foisted into the sacred writing^ 
he would have exposed it. But since he made no 
exception to this book, the direction which he gave 
us to search the Scriptures, must lay us under obliga- 
tion to search this in common with the other canonical 
books, and to search it with an expectation that we 
shall find that which shall make us better acquainted 
with Him and with ourselves. 

They who believe that this book is entitled to a place 
in God's word, will doubtless be agreed in the com- 
mon opinion, that it describes that holy union existing 
between Christ and his Church, illustrated by the 
conjugal relation. The "fair one" of this song is 
evidently a mystical bride, and not a literal wife ; for 
although she is most commonly addressed as an in- 
dividual, and is said to be one, even the only one of 
her mother ; yet at other times she is spoken of as a 
complex person, or an assemblage of individuals- 
In the verse which stands immediately before the 
text, she prays thus : " Draw me, we will run after 
thee." Soon after we have passed the text, we find 
her compared to a company of horses in Pharaoh's 
chariots. In another place, she is compared to a 
flock of sheep ; and then again, to an army, and to a 
company of two armies. 

The Church, when considered as the object of 
Christ's love, is the spouse; but when she is con- 
sidered as bringing forth converts, she is a mother* 
And while, in her collective capacity, she is spoken 
of as the mother, her converts, especially in their 
individual capacity, are represented to be her sons 
and daughters. By " the daughters of Jerusalem,'' 
22 



242 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

mentioned in the text, may be intended not only her 
converts, but also her covenant seed who are not yet 
in the completest sense, brought into her communion* 
The daughters of Jerusalem may even comprehend 
all the dwellers at Jerusalem, or all such as are living 
under the means of grace, and enjoying the benefit 
of the instructions, prayers and examples of God's 
people. 

This book assumes the form of a dialogue. The 
text is the language of the church, Christ's mystical 
spouse. She here confesses her deformity, by the 
declaration, I am black; also by comparing herself to 
the tents of Kedar ; and yet she asserts her beauty, by 
saying, I am comely, and intimating her resemblance 
to the curtains of Solomon. But the beauty and de- 
formity of which she speaks are wholly of a moral 
nature, having no reference to the complexion of the 
face, but to that of the mind. The deformity which 
she confesses is sinful, therefore hateful ; and the 
beauty which she claims is the beauty of holiness ; 
which therefore rendered her lovely. 

When she says " Look not upon me because I am 
black," let it not be understood that she refuses to be 
seen. Her Husband, the heavenly Bridegroom, in- 
vites attention to his bride. He designs she should 
be, in a spiritual sense, the light of the world \ and has 
therefore given her a place of great conspicuity, like 
a city on a hill, that her light may be seen at a greater 
distance, and that it may exert a mightier influence 
on the surrounding darkness. But the church is to 
be here understood as addressing a caution to her 
members, whether adult or infant, and perhaps even 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 243 

to all others who might have become acquainted with 
her existence and her claims, to be careful not to un- 
dervalue her on account of her moral defects, nor 
suffer her deformity to cause them to overlook her 
comeliness, so as to induce them to think lightly of 
her divine Lord, or of the religion whereby she is 
distinguished from the rest of the world. 

There are two prominent thoughts in the text 
namely, first, that the church of Christ. on earth pos- 
sesses the opposite characteristics of deformity and 
beauty ; secondly, that the repulsiveness of the one 
ought not to make us overlook the attractions of the 
other. 

I. It seems clearly taught in the text, that the 
church of Christ has a mixed character, partly de- 
formed, and partly beautiful. " I am black, but 
comely." As a specimen of this mixed character she 
represents her devotions to be so dissimilar, as to 
be at one time ineffectual, and at another preva- 
lent. Chap. 3 : 1-4. She also acknowledges that at 
one time spiritual drowsiness had so benumbed her 
senses, as to lead her to excuse herself for not arising 
from her bed to open the door to her Beloved. Yet 
there was soon so great a change in her feelings to- 
wards him, that she arose to open the door ; and when 
she perceived he had withdrawn himself, she could 
not rest till she had found him whom her soul loved. 
In one part of this account, which she gives of her- 
self, we are furnished with evidences of her deform- 
ity ; in the other, of her comeliness. Chap. 5 : 2-8. 

The mixed character of the church is attributable 
to two causes : the first of which is the imperfection 



244 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

of her genuine members, even those who are not only 
of Israel, but who are Israelites indeed. In all the re- 
generated members of the church there is some real 
comeliness, but there is also some real deformity : " for 
there is not a just man on earth who doeth good and 
sinneth not" So far as the just man doeth good he 
is amiable; but so far as he sinneth he is unlove- 
ly. They who are born of the Spirit are spiritual. 
After God they are created in righteousness and true 
holiness. Their love to God and men is without dis- 
simulation. Their repentance is such as needeth not 
to be repented of; and their faith worketh by love, 
purifying their hearts. Their humility is unfeigned ; 
their prayer is communion with God, and their good 
works are the fruit of a sanctified heart 

Had these regenerated ones no contrary traits of 
character, they would have comeliness without any 
mixture of deformity. They would then, like the 
Bridegroom himself, be altogether lovely. But it is 
not so. The most spiritual members of the Church 
on earth have to confess, that they are black as well 
as comely. The man after God's own heart, at one 
time, is heard to say, " I am holy ;" but at another, 
" Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I 
am not able to look up ;" — at one time, " My soul fol- 
loweth hard after thee ;" at another, " I have gone 
astray like a lost sheep." 

Since there is no man who, in the sinless sense of 
the word, can say, " I am perfect" without proving 
himself perverse by the very assertion, there must 
be some depravity remaining in the best of men, 
gome darkness in the brightest lights of the church. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 245 

In all those traits of character which serve to con- 
stitute their moral beauty, they are deficient. While 
they possess affections which are disinterested, they 
are by no means free from such as are selfish. Their 
repentance, which is genuine as to its nature, is defi- 
cient in degree ; and they often repeat those sins, over 
which they have mourned. This is particularly 
true in relation to the sins of the heart. After 
they have received Christ as their Savior, their 
whole Savior, they find a dreadful propensity to go 
about to establish their own righteousness. It is true 
that they are humble ; but it is also true that pride 
lurks within, and is sometimes manifested in their ex- 
ternal conduct. See 2 Sam. 24: 10. 2 Chron. 32: 
31. Fervency does not characterize all the prayers 
of the saints. Their prayers are often comparatively 
cold and formal. Instead of their always pressing to 
the mark, as they should, they are sometimes sliding 
back, and losing the ground which had once been 
gained. 

It appears then that the church would have a 
mixed character, if it contained no members except 
real saints ; for in all these are found the two conflict- 
ing principles denominated flesh and spirit, the one 
being black and the other comely. Gal. 5: 17. But 
there is another class of members, and it is no incon- 
siderable class, who are as perfect strangers to the 
new birth as if they were not found in the common- 
wealth of Israel. That there exist in our world two 
distinct classes of men, such as love God, and such as 
hate him ; such as are for Christ, and such as are 
against him ; such as are born of God, and such as re- 
22* 



246 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

main under the power of sin, is very clearly revealed. 
Nor is it any less clearly revealed that both these 
moral classes are found in the church. What else 
can be taught but this, when the kingdom of heaven 
is compared to a net that was cast into the sea and 
gathered of every kind? Or when it is likened to 
ten virgins who took their lamps and went forth to 
meet the bridegroom, five of whom had oil in their 
vessels, while the other five had none ? Is not the 
same thing represented by the fruitful and unfruitful 
branches in a vine-tree, and by the wheat and chaff 
which lie together on the threshing floor ? Matt. 13. 
47: 25, 1-10. John 15 : 2. Luke 3 : 17. 

Truth and error, those perfect opposites, are both 
found in the church, which is designed to be " the 
pillar and ground of the truth." The one serves to 
make her appear comely, and the other deformed. 
The truth, which she exhibits in her creeds, and in 
the ministrations of the word, give her a comely ap- 
pearance : but in proportion as she has adopted he- 
retical sentiments in her creeds, or sustained them by 
her ministry, she has marred her beauty. The un- 
sanctified part of the church, having no inward relish 
for the truth, are always seeking to exchange it for 
error, which to them is more palatable. With them 
false teachers are more acceptable, than they who 
fearlessly declare all the counsel of God. There 
have been times, in which the prophets of Baal out- 
numbered the prophets of the Lord. When we look 
at these features of the visible church, we are ready 
to exclaim, how black, how uncomely ! But this 
leads me to show. 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS, 247 

IL That the repulsiveness of her deformity ought 
not to make us overlook the attractions of her beauty. 
<f Look not upon me, because 1 am black— Despise me 
not, because you discover defects in me — because 
you do not find me altogether lovely." To enable 
us to see how unreasonable it is, to suffer the unsight- 
ly things which appear in the church, to cause us 
either to overlook or undervalue her excellencies, let 
the following things be well considered: 

1. Her beauty, as far as it obtains, is none the less 
lovely and commendable, on account of her deform- 
ity. Things which are lovely and praiseworthy, do 
not become unlovely and blameworthy, because they 
co-exist with things of a contrary character, iv^ the 
same society, or even in the same individual. Though 
merit and demerit cannot belong to the same person; 
•since a single transgression, according to the tenor 
of the Divine law, exposes to an endless punish- 
ment ; therefore future acts of obedience have no 
power to destroy that guilt which has been once 
contracted ; yet such acts of obedience are in them- 
selves as lovely, as if they had not been preceded by 
transgression. If holiness and sin can both exist at 
the same time, in the same individual, the holy prin- 
ciple, as far as it prevails, is beautiful and amiable. 
That body of death under which Paul groaned, and 
which he calk the law in his members, should not 
make us undervalue the excellency of the law of his 
mind, under the influence of w T hieh he rendered a 
sincere obedience to the commands of God. 

The Christian's faith, repentance and humility, 
constitute amiable traits of character^ not withstand- 



248 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

ing the unbelief, impenitence and pride, which still 
remain to mar his beauty. That faith, which prompt- 
ed Abraham to go up to mount Moriah, to offer his 
son at God T s command, gives a lustre to his charac- 
ter, though at another time, through weakness of 
faith, he was led to deny that Sarah was his wife. 
We have a right to condemn that pusillanimity 
which Peter manifested, on a certain occasion, in 
dissembling and withdrawing from the Gentile con- 
verts ; but it would be unreasonable to let this 
instance of his cowardice prejudice us against all 
that holy boldness which he manifested on the day of 
Pentecost, and on other occasions. The meek and 
quiet spirit, for which Moses was distinguished above 
all other men, was in the sight of God of great price, 
notwithstanding there was an instance in which he 
was so provoked, that he spake unadvisedly with his 
lips. After Paul and Barnabas, as fellow- workers to 
the kingdom of God, had travelled together for years, 
they had a sharp contention. This proved them to 
be imperfect men ; but it would be wrong to let this 
circumstance make us overlook all that was amiable 
in their character and conduct. This one contention 
which they had, does not authorize us to say of 
them, that they were men of a contentious and quar- 
relsome spirit. 

If amiable traits o[ character ought not to be des- 
pised, even when the same person exhibits those 
which are of a contrary nature, what can be more 
unreasonable than to think lightly of the subjects of 
grace, merely because men destitute of grace are 
associated with them, in the same religious society'? 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 249 

The saint and the sinner, in the case now supposed, 
are entirely different persons ; as much so as if one 
was in the church, and the other in the world. 
Wheat and tares are plants of a different species, 
and are just as different when they grow in the same 
field, as when they are found apart. There is no 
propriety in calling wheat a weed, because weeds 
surround it, and impede its growth; nor in calling 
the lily a thorn, because it grows among thorns. Nor 
is there any more propriety in undervaluing the spi- 
ritual members of Christ's church, because men of a 
different character have found their way Into its 
sacred inclosures. 

Who will be so uneandid, as to condemn all the 
apostles as traitors, because Judas was numbered 
with them, and obtained part of their ministry ? Paul 
was a minister of the word, at the same period with 
Phygelhis and Hermogenes, Hymeneus, and Phile- 
tus, and other heretical teachers. Must he therefore 
be branded as a heretic, because he was a eotempo- 
rary with these men ? In John's third epistle, we 
have the names of two men, who were probably 
ministers of the word in the same quarter, if not in 
the same church ; but the characters whieh are as- 
cribed to them, form a perfect contrast: the one being 
haughty and overbearing, while the other had a 
good report of all men, and of the truth itself. How 
wrong it must be to confound characters which are 
so dissimilar, merely because both are found in the 
church of Christ. We will not say that Christ's 
spiritual members are not blameworthy, for neglect- 
ing those means, which are adapted to keep the 



250 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

church more tree from members of a contrary cha- 
racter ; but, aside from this consideration, they are 
none the less worthy of regard, than they would be, 
if the whole church were made up of real Christians. 

2. Since God claims the church as his own, in dis- 
tinction from all other societies on earth, and describes 
its excellences as superior to them all ; to despise 
and contemn the church must be aggravated impiety. 
This is the kingdom which the God of heaven has 
setup in this revolted world. They who are enrolled 
among its members are denominated " the congre- 
gation of the Lord " — " the people of the Lord "— 
" the church of God ' '— " the church of Christ "— " the 
city of the Lord " — " the Zron of the Holy One of 
Israel." The Lord declares he has chosen this city 
for his habitation, and that he loves the gates of 
Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious 
things are spoken of this city of God. He calls it " the 
mount of his holiness" — "the perfection of beauty" 
— '•' the joy of the whole earth." 

In this sacred Song, from which our text is taken, 
Christ speaks much in commendation of his spouse 
the church. He calls her " the fairest among women." 
He compares her to a lily among thorns. The lily, 
which is a beautiful flower, appears to peculiar ad- 
vantage when viewed in contrast with the unsightly 
thorns by which it is surrounded. After comparing 
the church to a dove in the clefts of the rock, the 
heavenly Bridegroom says, tl Let me see thy coun- 
tenance, let me hear thy voice ; for sweet is thy 
voice, and thy countenance is comely." In the fourth 
chapter he enters into somewhat of a minute descrip- 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 251 

tion of her beauty ; and in the sixth, he addresses 
her in language like this: '-Thou art beautiful, O 
my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as 
an army with banners." Again : " Who is this that 
looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear 
as, the sun, and terrible as an army with banners 7" 

Now since Christ has said so much in favor of the 
moral beauty of his spouse, in what light must he 
view them who speak of her with a kind of sovereign 
contempt, — as if, instead of the fairest among women, 
she was the most deformed. Such men seem deter- 
mined to make God a liar ; as. if what he had said in 
commendation of his church was false, and what 
could not be justified by facts. Christ does not deny 
that his church has defects — many and great: and 
yet he speaks of it as if it were the best society which 
can be found on the earth. I will venture to appeal 
to men of reading on this point, whether Christian 
countries have not, by means of their religion, ex- 
perienced a moral elevation, above those countries 
which remain under pagan idolatry, or which have 
embraced the religion of the Arabian prophet. And 
will they not have the candor to acknowledge, that 
the church of Christ, with all its defects, is neverthe- 
less the more excellent part of Christendom's popu- 
lation ? 

Some will perhaps grant that Christ's real dis- 
ciples are better than other men, so as to deserve to 
be called the salt of the earth. But they talk as if 
they imagined that the greater part of the real dis- 
ciples were to be found without, rather than within 
the pale of the church. I will not say that Christ 



252 LECTURES ON THE MORAL- 

has na such disciples who remain without the pale 
of the Visible church ; but nothing can be more un- 
reasonable than to believe that a majority of this 
class of disciples remain there. So I think it must 
appear to all who will candidly attend to such con- 
siderations as these : 

1st. The visible church is divinely instituted, 
having its officers, ordinances and discipline appointed 
by Christ himself Now what can be more natural 
than that they who truly embrace his religion should 
spontaneously resort to the church as to their home ? 
We expect to find the children in their father's house, 

2dly. Christ has explicitly commanded his disciple? 
to repair to this standard which he has pitched. He 
has commanded them to confess him before men. 
This requisition they never fully comply with, till 
they become baptized in his name, or ratify their in- 
fant baptism by taking their place among those who 
commemorate his dying love in the ordinance of the 
supper. Love to Christ will naturally influence us 
to render obedience to this, as well as to his other 
requirements. 

3dly. Since Christ has proclaimed his church to 
be the light of the world, and compared it to a city 
which is so elevated that it cannot be hid, is it not 
rational to believe that he will, as a common thing, 
incline the hearts of those whom he brings under the 
reign of grace, to attach themselves to it, that thu& 
their light may be seen to the greatest advantage % 
Had it been his purpose to suffer an equal portion of 
the subjects of grace to stay back with the world, as 
he should induce to come into his church, he would 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 253 

not have described the latter as having such a de- 
cided superiority over the former ; he would never 
have called the church the light of the world. 

I would next observe, that it must be highly im- 
proper to make the imperfection of the church a 
reason for setting her at nought, since an imperfect 
comeliness is all which is claimed for her, either by 
herself or her divine Lord. The visible church, as 
it is described in the Scriptures, is a society com- 
posed partly of imperfect saints and partly of hypo- 
crites. Is it not most unreasonable to doubt the in- 
spiration of the Scriptures, because the church is 
found to answer to the description which God has 
there given of it ? The Scriptures speak of it as 
being peculiar to its heavenly state, to be purged 
from all its corrupt members, and to have its sound 
members freed from every vestige of corruption. 
The best members of the church are far from think- 
ing that the society to which they belong is without 
fault. They have no wish that their neighbors 
should consider them to be, in the highest sense, 
faultless characters. The perfect 'pattern for imita- 
tion is not the church, but Christ himself. 

Furthermore, nothing can be more palpably wrong 
than to despise the church on account of its imper- 
fection ; and even make its imperfection a reason for 
calling in question the truth of the Christian religion f 
since it is revealed to be the plan of infinite wisdom,, 
to proceed by degrees in the work of recovering men 
from entire sinfulness to entire holiness. This plan 
of God furnishes no apology for the hypocrisy of 
false brethren, nor the imperfection of true believers i 
23 



254 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

but it does furnish a reason why such a glorious 
work as the redemption of lost men should not be 
despised, merely because it is carried on by degrees. 
While the holiness of God stands pledged to keep 
hypocrites from entering within the gates of the New 
Jerusalem, it is not thus pledged to prevent the enemy 
from sowing tares in his field here on earth. Nor 
has he promised to perfect the work of sanctification 
in the hearts of his own children, until the time ar- 
rives when they are to be received up into glory. 

How unreasonable it must be to vilify the church, 
when considered as a divinely constituted society, be- 
cause it has not already attained to the perfection of 
its heavenly state. What is this short of disputing 
the propriety of God's setting up a kingdom of heaven 
on earth, unless he shall engage immediately to re- 
move from it the whole of its earthly character, and 
at once raise it to the standard of heaven itself? 
Is it so, that God has no right to have any kingdom 
on earth, unless he shall cause its purity to equal 
that of his upper kingdom ? Who will dare to say 
that a church, imperfect in holiness, is not preferable 
to no church at all ? Or who can certainly determine, 
all things considered, that the present is not the best 
possible plan ? It would be limiting the Holy One of 
Israel, to say that he has not power to make a perfect 
church on earth, by keeping out of it every false 
convert, and by completing the work of sanctification 
in his saints at the same moment it is commenced ; 
but this is clearly not the plan he has adopted. And 
who has a right to say that the plan which he has 
adopted is not the very best ? 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 255 

The subject before us is highly practical. 

1. It bids us beware of 'perfectionism. That Chris- 
tians are under obligation to be perfect, even in the 
fullest sense, is clear. Such obligation rests on all 
men. But to assert it as a fact, that all men are per- 
fect, in the sinless sense of the word, or that any are 
so, is contrary to the word of God. Zion is the per- 
fection of beauty, prospectively considered ; yea, her 
beauty even now is, in its nature, perfect, because 
the beauty of the Lord her God is upon her. But 
while the earth is her residence, her beauty is incom- 
plete; she is black as w r eli as comely. So she is de- 
scribed in the text, and in the whole of that sacred 
Song from which the text is taken : and so is she de- 
scribed in all the sacred volume. Though she is 
making progress by coming up from the wilderness, 
yet a sinful imperfection belongs to her through all 
the stages of her pilgrimage, till she reaches the land 
of promise. The sentiments of Perfectionists of 
every class, are calculated to promote infidelity, by 
representing the church to be what it is not : or, at 
least, a portion of its members to be what none of 
them are seen to be. " But now I forbear," said Paul, 
when writing to the Corinthians, "lest any man 
should think of me above that he seeth me to be, or 
that he heareth of me." Let those who are advoca- 
ting the doctrine of a sinless perfection, as their ac- 
tual attainment, take the hint from the apostle, and 
forbear, lest any should think of them above what 
he seeth them to be, or what he heareth of them ; lest 
by finding no such church or church-members, as 
they claim to be, he should be led to think lightly of 



256 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

the religion of Christ and of its claims to a divine 
origin. 

2. This subject admonishes us to seek a more solid 
foundation on which to rest a title to the heavenly- 
inheritance than mere membership in the church below 
— not, however, because there is not an infallible con- 
nection between grace and glory — but because we 
may have a membership in the church below, with- 
out possessing grace; while nothing short of our 
knowing the grace of God in truth, will procure us a 
place in the church above. Our name may be en- 
rolled on the records of a church, even one of the 
purest there is on earth, and yet not be found in the 
Lamb's book of life. A certificate of good and regu- 
lar standing in the church-militant will not be enough 
to secure us an admission into the church-triumphant. 
Therefore it was that Peter, when addressing himself 
to such as had a standing in the militant church, ex- 
horted them to give diligence to make their calling 
and election sure, that so an entrance might be 
ministered to them into the everlasting kingdom of 
Christ. 

3. This subject cautions us not to suffer the imper- 
fection of the church to drive us into infidelity. If 
what some insinuate were actually true, namely, that 
Christ's church is the most corrupt society on earth ; 
and that whoever becomes a member of it is thereby 
deteriorated in his morals, it would form a weighty 
argument against the divine origin of his religion. 
But merely the circumstance, that the enemy is per- 
mitted to sow tares in. Christ's field ; also, that the 
good seed does not immediately come to perfection, 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 257 

can form no solid objection against the truth of his 
religion. Can any pretend that the precepts of Christ 
have no adaptation to improve the human character ? 
Or can they fault His examples, as if they were 
unworthy of imitation 1 And will not every candid 
man acknowledge, that many of the professed disci- 
ples of Christ have been the excellent of the earth '? 
What if some of them have been vile, and all of them 
have come short of heavenly perfection ; does this 
make it right to treat both Christ and his church with 
contempt? Much good has already been accom- 
plished by the Gospel ; and is it not ungenerous to 
refuse to give it credit for the moral victories it has 
achieved in a sinful world, because there remaineth 
yet very much land to be possessed — much good to 
be accomplished ? 

4. This subject shows the insufficiency of the most 
common of all the reasons which are offered for re- 
fusing to become the disciples of Christ. Almost 
every sinner who is personally addressed and urged 
to become a Christian, tries to stop the mouth of his 
minister or other pious friend by referring to the im- 
purity of the church and the unexemplary lives of 
the professors of religion. This reason is often urged, 
not only by infidels, but by those who believe in the 
inspiration of the Scriptures. We can say, that we 
heartily wish there were not so many unlovely things 
in the church, to hinder the salvation of those who 
are standing without. But we are grieved that our 
fellow-men, who are under infinite obligation to bow 
their necks to the yoke of Christ, and who are also in 
perishing need of his salvation, should imagine they 
23* 



258 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

have a good excuse for not bowing their necks to his 
yoke and receiving his salvation, on account of the 
unsightly things which they discover in us w T ho pro- 
fess to be his disciples. We do not ask them to imi- 
tate our faults ; but we have a right to say, Look not 
upon us because we are black — Do not overlook that 
comeliness which Christ has put upon us — Do not un- 
dervalue our good members, merely because all our 
members are not such : neither underrate their excel- 
lencies, because they have their defects, — because 
they have not yet arrived to the stature of men. We 
say this, not so much in vindication of ourselves, as 
from a tender concern for you. We have not forgotten 
that our Master said, " Wo unto the world because 
of offences." We are by no means insensible of the 
fact, that there are many offences and great occasions 
of stumbling now existing in the church, which exert 
a dreadful influence to prevent the men of the world 
from coming over to the standard of reconciliation. 
While we do not exonerate ourselves from blame, for 
throwing these stumbling-blocks in your way, we en- 
treat you to avoid stumbling over them to your utter 
ruin. What if some of us, yea, many of us perish ; 
will our misery render yours more tolerable ? Let 
me say to those who are standing without : If you 
wait for the church to become faultless, you will 
never unite with it in this world. Or if you wait for 
it to arrive at such a degree of perfection as to re- 
move your objections, you will doubtless die and end 
your probation, before it comes up to the mark which 
you have prescribed for it. 
5. The light reflected by this subject will help us 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 259 

see the impropriety of their conduct who withdraw 
themselves from the Lord's table, (and perhaps from 
the church,) because they have discovered among its 
members one individual or more, in whose piety they 
can have no confidence. Did they not know that the 
church was black as well as comely ? Did they ex- 
pect to find the kingdom of heaven to resemble a net 
which, when cast into the sea, takes no fish except 
such as are good ? Or did they expect it to resem- 
ble a company of virgins going forth to meet the 
bridegroom, all of whom should have lamps burning 
and shining ? If such were their expectations, it is 
clear that it was not the word of God which excited 
them. But if they came into the communion of the 
church knowing it to be an imperfect society, why 
do these evidences of its imperfection induce them 
to withdraw from participating in its ordinances ? 
Do they not know that by withdrawing they re- 
nounce the fellowship of the worthy members, as 
well as of the unworthy ? Yea, they renounce the 
fellowship of the Head, as well as of the members. 
What should we have thought of the eleven apos- 
tles, had they all left the table, at the head of which 
sat their divine Lord, as soon as they had ascertained 
the fact that they had a fellow-disciple there who was 
at heart a traitor ! I will not say that there is no 
branch of the visible church so corrupt, as to im- 
pose an obligation on its sound members, after testis 
lying against those corruptions which they have no 
power to remove, to leave its communion for one of 
a purer character. Rev. IS : 4. But surely it can- 
not be right for us, who have come out from the 



260 LECTURES ON THE MORAL 

world and joined ourselves to the church of God, to 
leave the church and return to the world, on any pre- 
tence whatever. Imperfect as the church is, I pray 
that I may never be suffered to forsake her commu- 
nion, nor do any thing which shall exclude me from 
it. The place which the Lord has chosen for his 
residence, may I choose for mine ! Let it be my lot 
to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my 
life 5 and even for evermore! Ps. 132: 13, 14. 23: 6. 

6. Since it is known that sin constitutes the de- 
formity, and holiness the beauty of the church, how 
great must be her obligation to cleanse herself from 
the one, and seek to adorn herself with the other. As 
it is her sinfulness which makes her repulsive, so it 
is her sanctification which renders her attractive. 
He, who has espoused her to himself, says, " Heark- 
en, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; 
forget also thine own people and thy father's house. 
So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty." Ps. 
45: 10, 11. The less conformed she is to the world, 
and the more transformed into the image of her di- 
vine Lord, the more attractive she is in his sight. 
He urges her to awake, put on her beautiful garments 
and shake herself from the dust — to let her light shine 
before men — to be careful to maintain good works — 
to walk in wisdom towards them that are without ; 
and especially to walk worthy of God who hath called 
her unto his kingdom and glory. Isa. 52: 1, 2. Matt. 
5: 16. Tit. 3: 8. Col. 4: 5. 1 Thess. 2: 12. 

Though the world ought not to be prejudiced 
against the religion of Christ on account of the im- 
perfectioa of his church, and it is proper for us to 



IMPERFECTION OF CHRISTIANS. 261 

say to them, as in the text. Look not upon us because 
we are black ; nevertheless we ought to blame our- 
selves for all our unlovely features, and to labor as- 
siduously to improve our moral beauty, that we may 
become less repulsive and more attractive before our 
fellow-men ; whose salvation from sin and ruin should 
be an object of which we should never lose sight. 
Until this be done, our influence on an unbelieving 
world will be comparatively small. Zion must, in a 
more eminent degree, arise and shine, before her 
light will be seen to the ends of the earth ; before the 
Gentiles shall come to her light, and kings to the 
brightness of her rising. Isa. 60 : 1-3. 

7. This subject leads us to contemplate the glory 
of the church in its heavenly state. If it is comely 
while on earth, though burdened and disfigured with 
a host of hypocrites, and the remaining depravity of 
its spiritual members, how exceedingly beautiful it 
must appear when its members shall all be righteous, 
and that to perfection ! Then will Christ " present 
it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or 
wrinkle or any such thing." At the marriage sup- 
per of the Lamb, as it will be celebrated in the upper 
kingdom, there will be no traitor without, nor within^ 
to disturb their fellowship. Before they are admitted 
to this consummate blessedness, "the Son of man 
shall send forth his angels, and shall gather out of 
his kingdom all things that offend, and them which 
do iniquity." And what remained of the body of 
death in believers, will now be completely destroyed. 
Those risings of pride and self-importance, which 
were so defiling and troublesome on earth, are un- 



262 LECTURES, ETC. 

known in heaven. A blessed difference ! All is now 
pure. The church is no longer black, but altogether 
comely. When the religion of Christ shall have ef- 
fected the entire sanctification of all those who cor- 
dially embraced its doctrines, then its excellency will 
be seen to great advantage. The Redeemer will 
never be ashamed of his church, which he so loved 
as to wash her from her sins in his own blood. Nor 
will any of those who came out from the world, and 
identified their interests with those of the church, 
ever be ashamed of the choice they made. But they 
who were ashamed of Christ and his cause, while it 
existed on earth, will now themselves be covered 
with shame and everlasting contempt. 



Books published and for sale by M. W. Dodd. 

CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH'S WORKS. 

A NEW UNIFORM EDITION, 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 

MRS. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE, 

AND A PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHORESS ON STEEL. 

Making three large elegant octavo volumes. 

This edition of Charlotte Elizabeth's productions, for 
the three great requisites of Economy, Legibility and 
Beauty, challenges comparison with any work in the 
market. It contains upwards of 1500 large octavo pages, 
and nearly thirty different productions. Several of her 
works in prose and poetry make their first appearance in 
this country in this edition. In it are included all her 
volumes but a few juveniles unsuited to a standard edition, 
making to all intents and purposes a complete edition of 
the works of one of the most popular writers of the present 
age. It is believed that in no form could a greater amount 
of more entertaining and useful reading for a family be 
found, at the same expense and in as beautiful a style as 
that here offered. 

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 

" Charlotte Elizabeth's Works have become so univer-* 
sally known, and are so highly and deservedly appreciated 
in this country, that it has become almost superfluous to 



Books published and for sale by M W. Dodd. 

praise them. We doubt exceedingly whether there hag 
been any female writer, since Mrs. Hannah More, whose 
works are likely to be so extensively read and so profitably 
read as hers. She thinks deeply and accurately, is a great 
analyst of the human heart, and withal clothes her thoughts 
in most appropriate and eloquent language. The present 
edition, unlike any of its predecessors in this country, is in 
octavo form, and makes a fine substantial book, which, 
both in respect to the outer and inner, will be an ornament 
to any library."— Albany Argus. 

" These productions constitute a bright relief to the bad 
and corrupting literature in which our age is so prolific, 
full of practical instruction, illustrative of the beauty of 
Protestant Christianity^ and not the less abounding in 
entertaining description and narrative." — Jour, of Com. 

" In justice to the publisher and to the public, we add 
that this edition of Charlotte Elizabeth's Works will form a 
valuable acquisition to the Christian and Family Library." 
< — Christian Observer. 

u We experience a sense of relief in turning from the 
countless small volumes, though neat and often ornate, 
that the press is constantly throwing in our way, to a bold, 
Substantial-looking octavo of 600 pages, in plain black 
dress, with a bright, cheerful countenance, such as the 
Volume before us. Of the literary characteristics of Char- 
lotte Elizabeth, we have had frequent occasion to speak. 
Her merits and defects are too well known to need reca- 
pitulation here."— Newar k D. Adv. 

" This third volume completes this elegant octavo edi- 
tion of the works of this popular and useful author. It 
embraces Judsea Capta ; The Deserter ; Falsehood and 
Truth ; Judah's Lion ; Conformity ; and the Wrongs of 
Women. The works themselves are so well known as 
not to need commendation. The edition we are disposed 
to speak well of. It is in clear type, on fine paper, and 
makes a beautiful series. It is, moreover, very cheap." — 
N. Y. Evangelist. 



Books Published and for Sale by M. W. Dodd. 



THE DESERTER. 

" We have never (we speak advisedly) read a story that more entirely 
enchained us than this. We are not quite sure how much of it is 
fancy, and how much fact ; but we rather suppose that the outline is 
veritable history, while the filling up may have been drawn partly from 
the author's imagination. The principal hero of the story is a young 
Irishman, who was lead through the influence of one of his comrades, 
to enlist in the British Army, contrary to the earnest entreaties of his 
mother, and who went on from one step to another in the career of crime 
till he was finally shot as a deserter ; though not till after he had practi- 
cally embraced the Gospel. The account of the closing scene is one of 
the finest examples of pathetic description that we remember to have met 
with. The whole work illustrates with great beauty and power the 
downward tendencies of profligacy, the power of divine grace to subdue 
the hardest heart, and the encouragement that Christians have never 
to despair of the salvation, even of those who seem to have thrown 
themselves at the greatest distance from divine mercy."— Albany Daily 
Citizen. 

" This is one of the happiest efforts of this exceedingly popular writer. 
Its great aim appears to be to exhibit the truly benevolent influence of 
real piety upon the heart of man, as well as the degrading nature of sin. 
The narrative is admirably sustained — the waywardness of the unre- 
generate exhibited in living colors, and so interspersed with sketches of 
the 'soldier's life,' as to add a thrilling interest to the whole. It forms 
a neat library volume of near 250 pages, and is handsomely printed and 
bound in cloth." — Auburn Journal. 

" One of the happiest productions of the author. The narrative is 
well sustained, and the personages and character are true to nature." 
— Commercial Advertiser. 

COMBINATION. 

" This is a tale, founded on facts, from the gifted pen of Charlotte Eliz- 
abeth. It is well written, and contains the very best of advice. It lays 
down with great force the mighty truth, that without Religion there 
can be no virtue ; and that without the fear and love of God, man will 
inevitably be dashed on the rocks of irredeemable ruin. Religion is the 
Sheet Anchor, the only protection to hold by in the hour of violent 
temptation ; but if that be lost, all is over. Such little works as these 
are eminently calculated to produce a vast amount of good ; and there- 
fore let the heads of families place them upon their table for the benefit 
of their children. 

" In no better way could an evening be spent than by having it read 
aloud, that a warning may be taken from the folly of others, and that 
the course which has led them to ignominy and disgrace may be most 
carefully avoided." — Boston American Traveller 

THE DAISY— THE YEW TREE, 

Chapters on Flowers. 

Three most delightful little volumes, made up in part from 
her very popular Flower Garden Tales for those who prefer 
them in smaller volumes. 

(7) 



Books Published and for Sale by M. W. Dodd. 



JUDAEA CAPTA. 

* Judasa Capta,' the last offering from the pen of this gifted and pop- 
ular writer, will be esteemed as one of her best works. It is a graphic 
narrative of the invasion of Judea by the Roman legions under Vespa- 
sian and Titus, presenting affecting views of the desolation of her towns 
and cities, by the ravages of iron-hearted, bloodthirsty soldiers, and of 
the terrible catastrophe witnessed in the destruction of Jerusalem 
The narrative is interspersed with the writer's views of the literal ful 
filment of prophecy concerning the Jews, as illustrated in their extra- 
ordinary history, and with remarks contemplating their returning pros- 
perity. Her occasional strictures on the history of the apostate Josephus, 
who evidently wrote to please his imperial masters, appear to have 
been well merited. The work is issued in an attractive and handsome 
volume."— Christian Observer. 

"If the present should prove to be Charlotte Elizabeth's last work, 
she could not desire to take her departure from the field of literature 
with a better grace ; and we doubt not that it will be considered, if not 
the best, yet among the best of her productions. It is full of scripture 
truth, illustrated by the charm of a most powerful eloquence ; and no 
one, we should suppose, could read it without feeling a fresh interest 
in behalf of the Jewish nation, and a deeper impression of the truth 
and greatness, and ultimate triumph of Christianity." — Albany Daily 
Advertiser. 

"This volume contains a description of some of the most terrific 
scenes of which this earth has been the theatre. But instead of con 
templating them merely as a part of the world's history, it takes into 
view their connection with the great scheme of Providence, and shows 
how the faithful and retributive hand of God is at work amidst the 
fiercest tempest of human passion. The work contains no small por- 
tion of history, a very considerable degree of theology, and as much 
beautiful imagery and stirring eloquence as we often find within the 
same limits. Those who have the other works from the same pen, 
will purchase this almost of course ; and they need have no fear that 
it will disappoint any expectation which its predecessors may have 
awakened." — Albany Religious Spectator. 

Also just published — 

"THE CHURCH VISIBLE IN ALL AGES." 

A work, making attraction to the youthful as well as the 
more mature mind, a deeply interesting and important subject. 



All the foregoing are printed on clear, white paper, and 
bound to match, making an attractive and beautiful set of 
books. They are sold in sets or separately, varying from 
25 to 50 cents per volume. When purchased for Sabbath 
Sckools, a liberal deduction is made front the above prices. 
(8) 



Books Fublished and for Sale by M. W. Dodd. 

THE BOOK THAT WILL SUIT YOU; 

Or a Word for Every One. By Rev. James Smith, Author oi 
" Believer's Daily Remembrancer," &c. 

" An elegant little hand book of some 300 pages 16mo., and by an En 
xlish author Its contents are a rare selection of topics, treated briefly 
.o suit the circumstances of those who have fifteen or twenty minutes 
-o spend in reading, which it would be wicked to throw away, and yet 
liscouraging to commence a heavier volume. ' The Successful Mo 
.Her,' 'The Child's Guide,' 'The Husband's example,' 'The Wife's 
Rule,' — these are some of the topics taken promiscuously from the 
book ; and they show the author's mind to be travelling in the right di- 
rection, viz. : towards the theory of life's daily practice. We hope 
that the time is near when Christian parlors will be emptied of ' The 
Book of Fashion,' ' Somebody's Lady's Book,' etc., etc., made up of 
love stories mawkishly told, and other drivelling nonsense ; and their 
places supplied with works like the ' Book that will Suit you'— no less 
pleasing, and far more useful." 

GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS, 

In a faithful account of the Life and death of John Bunyan, 
pp. 176. 

" We are pleased to see a very handsome edition of this admirable 
treatise. It is just published, and will be eagerly sought after by all 
who admire the spirit and genius of this remarkable man whose ' Pil- 
grims Progress' stands nearly if not quite at the head of religious lite- 
rature." 

KIND WORDS FOR THE KITCHEN; 

Or Illustrations of Humble Life. By Mrs. Copley. 

"This admirable little volume is the production of Mrs. Esther 
Copley, (late Mrs. Hewlett,) whose popularity as an authoress has long 
been established upon both sides of the Atlantic. The welfare of that 
interesting and important part of society who discharge the domestic 
duties of life has long engaged the attention of this distinguished and 
accomplished lady. 

■* We have read the ' Kind Words for the Kitchen,' with a firm con- 
viction that it is the best work we have ever seen in so small a com- 
pass for its designed purpose ; it suggests all that a sense of duty would 
lead the head of a well regulated household to advise, and having 
loaned the book to ladies distinguished for their judgment and skill as 
heads of well-governed families, they have urged its publication with 
a few omissions of matter deemed inappropriate to our country. 

" We believe almost every Christian lady will be glad to place such a 
manual of sound instruction in the hands of her domestics, and that 
which is kindly bestowed will generally be gratefully received. With 
an assurance that the general diffusion of this book would accomplish 
a most valuable service in binding together more closely the interests 
of the employer and the employed, and softening down the asperities 
which so frequently grow out of the ill performed duties of the house- 
hold sphere, we should rejoice to know that this little volume was 
placed by the side of the Bible in every kitchen of our country.' 



Books Published and for Sale by M. W. Bodd. 



£>R. SPRING'S NEW WORK. 



THE 



ATTRACTION OP THE CROSS, 

DESIGNED TO ILLUSTRATE THE 

LEADING TRUTHS, HOPES & OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANITY, 



GARDINER SPRING, D. D., 

PASTOR OF THE BRICK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEW-YOBX. 



FOURTH EDITION. 



• In the course of this volume (a large duodecimo) 
the author treats of the following topics ; The Narra- 
tive of the Cross; The Truth of the Cross; The 
Cross an effective Propitiation for Sin ; The Cross 
the only Propitiation ; The actual Purpose of the 
Cross ; The Cross accessible to All ; The Cross a 
Completed Justification; Faith in the Cross; The 
Inquiring Sinner directed to the Cross ; A Stum- 
bling-block Removed ; The greatness of Sin no ob- 
stacle to Salvation by the Cross ; The Holiness of 
the Cross ; The Religion of the Cross, in distinction 
from Religions that are false and spurious; The 
Cross the Test of Character ; Full Assurance of 
Hope at the Cross; The World crucified by the 



Books Published and for Sale by M. W. Dodd. 

Cross ; All Things tributary to the Cross ; The Cross 
the Admiration of the Universe ; The Triumphs of 
the Cross ; The Sinner's Excuses refuted by the 
Cross; The Cross Rejected, the Great Sin; Con- 
clusion. 

So well received has been this admirable book, 
that a fourth edition was put to press in less than 
thirty days from its publication. Annexed are some 
of the very flattering notices givenby the religious and 
secular press. 

From the Princeton Review. 
It embodies a vast compass of evangelical truth, so that no 
one can read it with care and impartiality without acquiring 
much important information of the true character of the Chris- 
tian religion ; and it may be considered an advantage of no 
small importance, that the truth is not exhibited under the 
cold technicalities in which it is commonly presented in bo- 
dies of divinity. ***** 

From the N. Y. Observer. 

We are not surprised to hear that Mr. Dodd, the publisher, 
has already issued the fourth edition of the Attraction of the 
Cross, by the Rev. Dr. Spring. It is the ablest and most 
finished production of its author, and will undoubtedly take its 
place in that most enviable position in the family, as a volume 
of standard reading, to be the comfort of the aged and the 
guide of the young. We commend it as one of the most 
valuable issues of the press. 

From the N. Y. Evangelist. 

None will wonder at the rare success which this volume 
has won, who have read it. For comprehensiveness of views, 



Books Published and for Sale by M. W. Dodd. 

beauty of style and excellence and fervor of devotional feeling, 
few works have lately appeared that surpass it. It has al- 
ready been published in London, and has here reached its 
fourth edition in a very short time. The present is a 12mo 
edition, and sold at a lower rate. 

From the Baptist Memorial. 

A careful perusal of this admirable book has afforded us 
great pleasure. We do not wonder to find it so soon in a 
fourth edition. It will have a lasting reputation. 

From the Journal of Commerce. 

We mistake if this neatly- printed volumes does not prove 
one of the most attractive religious works of the day. It pre- 
sents the practical truths of religion, which all ought to know, 
free from the spirit of sectarianism or controversy. The book 
is prepared for permanent use, and bids as fair, perhaps, as 
any book of the kind in our times, to live and speak long after 
the author shall have gone to test the realities he has so elo- 
quently described. 

From the Boston Traveller. 

'} A new work of Dr. Spring, ' The Attraction of the Cross,' 
has been published by M. W. Dodd. ... * The Attrac- 
tion of the Cross' is destined to live among the very best pro- 
ductions of the church with which its respected author is con- 
nected. The style is remarkably pure, the arrangement of 
the topics lucid and methodical, and the arguments addressed 
with great force to the reason and conscience. It will stand 
by the side of l Doddridge's Rise and Progress/ f Wilberforce's 
View,' or the ' Way of Life/ in the libraries of future genera- 
tions." 



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